Some of the campaigning mums whose children were born with gastroschisis

by Jo Earle

Parents who have all had babies born with a rare defect in the same area of north Kent could soon understand the reasons why.

The group of Northfleet mothers are hoping Europe's first research unit dedicated to investigating birth defects will help them find answers.

Five women from the same street - Waterdales, in Northfleet - all gave birth to children with gastroschisis, where the bowel grows outside the abdomen. More women suspected of having the condition have now come forward.

They think a banned chemical could be the cause, but Kent health officials say this is unlikely.

Now the mothers are hoping the Newlife Birth Defects Research Centre, based at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, can help.

"i don't want to see other mums go through what i and other mums went through…” – sonia dalton

Teams at the centre, which opened this week costing £6.5million, will focus on understanding how birth defects arise.

Professor Andrew Copp, from the centre, said it is difficult to examine the cause of gastroschisis.

He said: "As scientists, we have to try to understand whether or not these cluster of cases are really because of a particular factor which is causing them or whether it just happens by chance - and that can be really difficult to decide.

"There's always a possibility that factors in the environment, such as toxins, pesticides, if people are particularly exposed to them can have a role in these birth defects. We may be able to have a look at that at the research centre and we do take a detailed approach to our study.

"Gastroschisis is a particularly rapidly-increasing condition and is also particularly associated with younger mothers."

The mums are from Waterdales in Northfleet

Sonia Dalton, 35, whose daughter Mikka was diagnosed with gastroschisis in 2008, welcomed the research centre.

"I think there should be more medical training on the condition," she said. "We've all encountered times when we've been to hospitals during our births and even after when some of the staff don't know what gastroschisis is.

"If it can be prevented and a cause can be found then fantastic because I don't want to see other mums go through what I and other mums went through.

"They say it's on the rise in young mums, but I'm not young. In this case, most of us were in our 30s and one mum is nearly 40."