Who is affected by umbilical hernia
Umbilical hernias are a common variation of normal development of the abdominal wall and umbilical ring.
- Umbilical hernias occur in about 15% of all children.1 Some studies show between 2% and 12% of all children have an umbilical hernia at 1 year of age.2
- They are more common in African-American infants.2
- Umbilical hernias are very common in premature babies.
The vast majority of umbilical hernias are not related to any disease condition. But in some cases an umbilical hernia is associated with Down syndrome, certain metabolic disorders such as hypothyroidism, and certain rare conditions, such as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS | Last Updated: January 23, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Brad W. Warner, MD - Pediatric Surgery | |
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