Umbilical Hernia
What Is an Umbilical Hernia?
An umbilical hernia is a lump that appears when part of your intestines or other tissue sticks out through your abdominal muscles near your navel. It looks like a bulge around the belly button.
In a newborn, before the umbilical cord falls off, you may notice that the area seems to stick out a little more when the baby cries. Or once the cord is gone, you see that their navel pokes out (commonly called an "outie"). In some cases, even if you can’t see a bulge, you might be able to feel one.
It's estimated that between 10% and 20% of babies develop an umbilical hernia. In most babies, they go away on their own. They're much less common later in life, affecting only about 2% of adults. But these typically need surgery.
Umbilical Hernia Causes
During pregnancy, the umbilical cord is connected to your baby through a small hole in their abdominal muscles. This usually closes up soon after the baby is born. Sometimes it doesn't, and an umbilical hernia forms. It's unclear exactly why this hole, called the umbilical ring, doesn't close in some babies. But it has nothing to do with the way the doctor cuts or clamps the cord after delivery.
What causes umbilical hernia in adults?
Even when the umbilical ring does close, that area may always be weak. Over time, stress can cause an umbilical hernia to form. This comes from things that strain your abdominal muscles or put pressure on your abdominal wall, such as:
- Pregnancy
- Being overweight
- Extra belly fluid
- Chronic cough
- Problems urinating because of a large prostate
- Constipation
- Vomiting often
- Heavy lifting
- Surgery or other procedures that weaken the abdominal wall
Umbilical Hernia Types
Umbilical hernias can be classified into two main types, depending on exactly where they're located.
Direct umbilical hernia. This type is located right inside the belly button, in the umbilical ring that the cord passed through. This may also be called a "true" umbilical hernia. It's the most common type in babies.
Indirect umbilical hernia. Located just above or just below the belly button, it may also be called an "oblique" or "paraumbilical" hernia. It's more likely to develop later in infancy or adulthood and is less likely to go away on its own. This is the most common type in adults.