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Review
. 2025 Feb 25:12:30502225251304582.
doi: 10.1177/30502225251304582. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.

The Global Burden of Major Gastrointestinal Anomalies: A Global, Systematic Review of Gastrointestinal Anomaly Birth Prevalence

Kelsey R Landrum  1 , Pamela Espinoza  2   3 , Cesia Cotache-Condor  4 , Brian W Pence  1 , Henry E Rice  2   5 , Mark G Shrime  6   7 , Chris B Agala  5 , Emily R Smith  2   3   8 , Jessie K Edwards  1   9
Affiliations
Review

The Global Burden of Major Gastrointestinal Anomalies: A Global, Systematic Review of Gastrointestinal Anomaly Birth Prevalence

Kelsey R Landrum et al. Sage Open Pediatr. .

Abstract

The burden of congenital gastrointestinal (GI) anomalies is poorly understood. The aim of this systematic review to assess the global prevalence of congenital gastrointestinal (GI) anomalies. We conducted a systematic review of global population-level birth prevalence of gastroschisis, omphalocele, intestinal atresia, esophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, Hirschsprung's disease, and anorectal malformation. We identified 103 studies from high and middle-income countries. Gastroschisis was the most reported condition. Studies reported geographic heterogeneity in gastroschisis, omphalocele, esophageal atresia, Hirschsprung's disease, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and anorectal malformation prevalence. The prevalence of gastroschisis, omphalocele, and Hirschsprung's disease prevalence was reported to have increased over recent decades. Mean prevalence per 10 000 live and total births ranged from 2.1 to 4.4 cases and 1.4 to 3.6 per 10 000 live or total births, respectively. There is limited surveillance for congenital GI anomalies in LICs and potential temporal and geographic trends that need to be further investigated.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
PRISMA-P diagram.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Map of studies identified and included in this review.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Number of ascertained major gastrointestinal anomaly birth prevalence studies by publication year.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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