As one surveys the literature on the subject of gastroschisis, one is impressed by the confusion of thought which is occasioned by this term. There are those who use it to embrace all forms of anterior abdominal-wall maldevelopment and herniation.1 There are others who use it to describe what Gross and Blodgett2 have termed omphalocele. It has more recently been used by Moore and Stokes3 to delineate a hernial abnormality of the anterior abdominal wall that occurs in the extraumbilical position. This use of the term is part of their classification of anterior abdominal wall abnormalities into three groups: (1) omphalocele, an umbilical cord abnormality; (2) intussusception through the omphalomesenteric duct, an omphalomesenteric duct abnormality; (3) gastroschisis, an extraumbilical abdominal wall abnormality. Gastroschisis is a Greek word meaning "belly cleft" and could, therefore, apply to any one of these abnormalities of embryonic development that lead to eventration