Longitudinal growth of children born with gastroschisis or omphalocele

Normal childhood growth is an indicator of good health, but data addressing the growth of children born with abdominal wall defects (AWDs) are limited. The detailed growth phenotypes of children born with gastroschisis or omphalocele are described and compared to peers without AWDs from birth to adolescence. Data from 183 gastroschisis and 144 omphalocele patients born between 1993 and 2017 were gathered from Finnish nationwide registers and electronic health records. Weight ( n = 3033), length/height ( n = 2034), weight-for-length (0–24 months, n = 909), and body mass index measures (2–15 years, n = 423) were converted into sex- and age-specific Z -scores. Linear mixed models were used for comparisons. Intrauterine growth failure was common in infants with gastroschisis. Birth weight Z -scores in girls and boys were − 1.2 (0.2) and − 1.3 (0.2) and length Z -scores − 0.7 (0.2) and − 1.0 (0.2), respectively ( p