What is an umbilical hernia during pregnancy. How common are umbilical hernias in pregnant women. What causes an umbilical hernia during pregnancy. What are the symptoms of an umbilical hernia in pregnancy. How is an umbilical hernia diagnosed and treated during pregnancy. Can an umbilical hernia affect the baby. What are the risk factors for developing an umbilical hernia while pregnant.

Understanding Umbilical Hernias in Pregnancy

Pregnancy brings about numerous changes in a woman’s body, and while most are expected, some rare conditions can arise. One such condition is an umbilical hernia, which affects approximately 0.08 percent of pregnant women. Despite its rarity, it’s crucial to understand this condition and its potential implications for both mother and baby.

An umbilical hernia occurs when fat or part of the intestine pushes through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles near the navel. This weakness is often a result of the opening where the umbilical cord once passed through not closing properly after birth. During pregnancy, the growing uterus and increased abdominal pressure can exacerbate this condition or cause a new hernia to develop.

The Anatomy Behind Umbilical Hernias

To better understand umbilical hernias, it’s important to consider the anatomical factors at play:

• The belly button is the site where the umbilical cord once connected the fetus to the mother.
• Underneath the visible navel is an opening in the abdominal muscles where the umbilical cord passed through.
• This opening typically closes after birth, but in some cases, it may remain partially open or weak.

During pregnancy, the expanding uterus can put additional pressure on this area, potentially leading to the development or worsening of an umbilical hernia.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Umbilical Hernias in Pregnancy

While umbilical hernias during pregnancy are uncommon, certain factors can increase a woman’s risk of developing this condition. Understanding these risk factors can help expectant mothers and healthcare providers be more vigilant.

Who is at Higher Risk?

Several factors can predispose a pregnant woman to develop an umbilical hernia:

• Previous umbilical hernia
• Naturally weak abdominal muscles
• Pre-existing separation in the abdominal muscles
• Overweight or obesity
• Excess fluid in the abdomen or body

It’s important to note that while these factors increase risk, they don’t guarantee the development of an umbilical hernia. Each pregnancy is unique, and many women with these risk factors may never experience this condition.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Umbilical Hernias in Pregnancy

Identifying an umbilical hernia during pregnancy can be challenging, as some symptoms may be mistaken for normal pregnancy-related changes. However, being aware of the signs can lead to early detection and appropriate management.

Common Symptoms

Umbilical hernias during pregnancy may present with the following symptoms:

• A visible bulge or swelling around the navel, varying in size from a grape to a grapefruit
• Increased prominence of the bulge when coughing or straining
• Pressure or discomfort around the belly button area
• Mild pain or tenderness in the affected region

In some cases, an umbilical hernia may not cause any noticeable symptoms, making regular prenatal check-ups crucial for early detection.

Warning Signs of Serious Complications

While most umbilical hernias are harmless, in rare cases, they can lead to severe complications. Pregnant women should be aware of these warning signs:

1. Severe or sudden sharp pain in the abdominal area
2. Persistent vomiting
3. Inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement
4. Redness, tenderness, or discoloration of the skin around the hernia

If any of these symptoms occur, immediate medical attention is necessary to prevent potential complications such as intestinal strangulation or obstruction.

Diagnosis and Evaluation of Umbilical Hernias During Pregnancy

Proper diagnosis of an umbilical hernia during pregnancy is essential for appropriate management and to ensure the well-being of both mother and baby. Healthcare providers employ various methods to accurately assess the condition.

Diagnostic Procedures

The following steps are typically involved in diagnosing an umbilical hernia during pregnancy:

• Physical examination: The healthcare provider will visually inspect and palpate the abdominal area, particularly around the navel.
• Medical history review: Information about previous hernias, pregnancies, and relevant risk factors will be collected.
• Ultrasound: This non-invasive imaging technique can help visualize the hernia and assess its size and contents.
• MRI: In some cases, magnetic resonance imaging may be used for a more detailed view of the hernia and surrounding structures.

These diagnostic procedures are safe for both mother and baby, allowing for accurate assessment without posing risks to the pregnancy.

Treatment Options for Umbilical Hernias in Pregnancy

Managing an umbilical hernia during pregnancy requires a careful balance between addressing the mother’s health concerns and ensuring the safety of the developing baby. Treatment approaches can vary depending on the severity of the hernia and the stage of pregnancy.

Conservative Management

For mild cases of umbilical hernia during pregnancy, conservative management is often the preferred approach. This may include:

• Monitoring: Regular check-ups to assess the hernia’s progression
• Supportive measures: Wearing supportive garments or abdominal binders to provide comfort
• Lifestyle modifications: Avoiding activities that increase abdominal pressure
• Pain management: Using safe pain relief methods as recommended by the healthcare provider

In many cases, conservative management can effectively control symptoms until after delivery, when more definitive treatment can be considered.

Surgical Intervention

While surgery is generally avoided during pregnancy, there are situations where it may be necessary:

1. Emergency situations: If the hernia becomes strangulated or obstructed, immediate surgical intervention may be required.
2. Large hernias: In cases where the hernia is significantly impacting the mother’s health or quality of life, surgery may be considered.
3. Timing considerations: If surgery is deemed necessary, it is typically performed in the second trimester when risks to the fetus are lowest.

Laparoscopic surgery, involving small incisions and the use of a camera, is often the preferred surgical approach when intervention is necessary during pregnancy.

Postpartum Management of Umbilical Hernias

After delivery, women who experienced umbilical hernias during pregnancy may require continued care and monitoring. The postpartum period offers an opportunity to reassess the hernia and determine the most appropriate course of action.

Evaluating Hernia Resolution

In some cases, umbilical hernias that developed during pregnancy may resolve on their own after delivery. Healthcare providers will typically:

• Perform a physical examination to assess the status of the hernia
• Monitor for any persistent symptoms or complications
• Discuss the patient’s concerns and quality of life impact

If the hernia persists or causes ongoing issues, further treatment options will be considered.

Postpartum Treatment Options

For women with persistent umbilical hernias after pregnancy, several treatment approaches may be recommended:

1. Continued conservative management: If the hernia is small and asymptomatic, watchful waiting may be appropriate.
2. Elective surgery: For larger or symptomatic hernias, surgical repair may be recommended once the body has had time to recover from childbirth.
3. Lifestyle modifications: Incorporating exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles and maintaining a healthy weight can help support long-term hernia management.

The decision on postpartum treatment will be made collaboratively between the patient and healthcare provider, taking into account individual circumstances and preferences.

Prevention and Long-term Outlook for Umbilical Hernias in Pregnancy

While not all umbilical hernias can be prevented, there are steps that pregnant women can take to reduce their risk and promote overall abdominal health. Understanding the long-term outlook can also help manage expectations and guide future pregnancy planning.

Preventive Measures

To minimize the risk of developing an umbilical hernia during pregnancy, consider the following strategies:

• Maintain a healthy weight before and during pregnancy
• Engage in safe, pregnancy-appropriate exercises to strengthen core muscles
• Practice proper lifting techniques to avoid excessive abdominal strain
• Manage chronic coughing or constipation, which can increase abdominal pressure
• Attend regular prenatal check-ups for early detection of potential issues

While these measures cannot guarantee prevention, they can contribute to overall maternal health and potentially reduce the risk of hernia development.

Long-term Prognosis

The long-term outlook for women who experience umbilical hernias during pregnancy is generally positive. Consider the following points:

1. Many hernias resolve spontaneously after delivery as abdominal pressure decreases.
2. For persistent hernias, surgical repair is highly effective with a low recurrence rate.
3. Most women can have subsequent pregnancies without complications, although the risk of recurrence may be slightly higher.
4. Regular follow-up with healthcare providers can help monitor for any long-term effects or recurrence.

With proper management and care, the majority of women who experience umbilical hernias during pregnancy can expect favorable outcomes and minimal long-term impact on their health.

Umbilical Hernia in Pregnancy: Treatment After and During

There’s a lot to be aware of when you’re pregnant. Changes in your body can sometimes make other rare problems pop up.

One thing that likely never crossed your mind is an umbilical hernia. It’s rare, but it can happen. Also called a naval hernia, this kind of hernia is more common in women — and pregnancy can cause or worsen it.

Only about 0.08 percent of women have an umbilical hernia due to pregnancy. (This is likely not reassuring if you landed on this article because you have one. But let’s reframe it this way: You’re beautifully unique.)

Fortunately, this kind of hernia is usually harmless. About 10 percent of stomach hernias in adults are umbilical hernias. Non-pregnant adults, babies, and toddlers can have an umbilical hernia, too. In fact, it’s more common in these groups than among those who are pregnant.

An umbilical hernia during pregnancy is rare, but in a small percentage of cases, it can be serious. Therefore, if you suspect you have one, you’ll need to see your OB-GYN ASAP.

An umbilical hernia during pregnancy has nothing to do with your growing baby’s umbilical cord. It has more to do with your own umbilical cord — or rather, the one you had before you were born.

Everyone has a belly button because that’s the exact spot where your umbilical cord connected you to your mother. What can’t be seen is the opening through the stomach muscles right under your belly button. This is where the umbilical cord tunneled through on its way out of your body.

After you’re born, this opening through your stomach muscles closes. All that’s left of the umbilical cord is an innie or outie belly button. However, sometimes the tunnel between the muscles stays open or doesn’t close tightly enough.

Adults can get an umbilical hernia if fat or part of the intestine pushes through this weaker opening into the area right under your belly button.

If you’re pregnant, a growing belly and baby means there’s more pressure inside your stomach. The muscles of the stomach wall also become thinner and weaker as they stretch during pregnancy.

The pushing force and weaker muscles can cause an umbilical hernia during pregnancy, or make one worse.

During pregnancy, your previously tiny womb fills up like a balloon. It reaches belly button height in your second trimester — around the 20th to 22nd week. As your womb swells, your intestines are gently pushed to the upper and back parts of your stomach.

This is why umbilical hernias during pregnancy usually don’t happen in the first trimester. They’re more common from the second trimester on.

You’re more likely to get an umbilical hernia during pregnancy if you:

• had an umbilical hernia before you got pregnant
• have naturally weak stomach muscles
• have a natural opening or separation in the stomach muscles
• have overweight or obesity
• have excess fluid in the stomach or body

An umbilical hernia during pregnancy might not cause any symptoms at all. You may notice a bulge or swelling around your belly button. It might be as small as a grape or as large as a grapefruit. You might have:

• swelling or a bump around your belly button that’s more noticeable when you cough
• pressure around your belly button
• pain or tenderness around your belly button

In serious cases, an umbilical hernia might lead to:

• severe pain
• sudden or sharp pain
• vomiting

In a more serious umbilical hernia, part of the intestines can get coiled up inside the opening. This can pinch or squeeze the intestines too much, cutting off blood supply — like when a hose gets twisted and the water stops.

In a worst-case scenario, the umbilical hernia can stop your digestion from working properly or cause other dangerous complications.

If you had an umbilical hernia during another pregnancy or before you got pregnant, it may happen again during this pregnancy.

An umbilical hernia during pregnancy will not harm your little bundle in the oven. However, you are your baby’s lifeboat, and your health is a priority. A serious umbilical hernia can make you very sick without treatment.

A mild umbilical hernia during pregnancy might not need any treatment at all. The swelling around your belly button may only be fat that got pushed between the muscles. It should go away once you deliver.

That said, laparoscopic surgery, which involves small incisions and the use of a camera, is sometimes needed to fix an umbilical hernia. In most cases, general anesthesia is used, and you will not feel a thing.

Treatment for an umbilical hernia during pregnancy depends on how bad it is. If it’s a small one and you aren’t having any symptoms, your OB-GYN will likely decide to wait until you’ve given birth to your baby.

If the hernia is large or causing complications like damaging the intestines or other organs, you may need surgery as soon as possible. In these cases, it’s safest to address the incarcerated hernia rather than wait, even when pregnant, as the benefits outweigh the risk to your pregnancy.

Most OB-GYNs recommend waiting until the second trimester of pregnancy for this surgery if it’s not needed urgently. In other cases, your OB may fix the hernia while you’re delivering your baby via C-section.

After surgery for an umbilical hernia, remember to avoid lifting anything over 10 pounds for up to 6 weeks. A hernia repair can reopen or happen again. If you’ve had a C-section, you know this drill.

Your muscles may still be weak after hernia repair. Stomach muscles can also separate during pregnancy. Talk to your OB-GYN or a physiotherapist about the best way to strengthen these belly muscles once you have fully recovered from the surgery and childbirth.

An umbilical hernia is rare, but if you’re at risk or have had one before, you can help prevent one from happening in future pregnancies. The main idea is to avoid things that add to the natural pressure that your growing belly is already experiencing.

Good strategies include:

• wearing loose clothing that allows for good blood flow, especially around your pelvis and legs
• wearing clothing that gently supports your growing belly, such as pants with elastic waistbands
• using support to pull yourself up when getting up from a sitting or lying down position
• avoiding picking up heavy things — including your toddler, if you have one!
• avoiding climbing too many stairs when you can
• using your hands to help stop or control a hard sneeze or coughing
• putting your feet up when you can
• doing low-impact exercises like walking, stretching, and light yoga

If you think you have an umbilical hernia or your belly button looks or feels funny, see your OB-GYN right away. Let them know if you may have had an umbilical hernia before you were pregnant or during another pregnancy — even if you never had any symptoms.

An umbilical hernia during pregnancy can get worse because of the pressure and weight of carrying a new life. Get emergency care if you have sharp or severe pain, pressure, or vomiting.

What to Do if You Get a Hernia During Pregnancy

A hernia happens when a section of your intestine or other tissue pushes through a weakened layer of muscle in your abdomen.

Pregnant women have an increased risk of hernias because of the increased pressure pregnancy puts on the abdomen.

Most hernias in pregnant women are external, meaning that they affect the abdominal wall and may be seen or felt as a bulge under the skin. This most commonly happens in the lower abdomen or groin area. (1)

Most hernias in both the general population and pregnant women affect the groin, in either what’s known as an inguinal or a femoral hernia. But pregnant women are at increased risk for an umbilical hernia, which affects the area around your navel (belly button). (2,3)

If a hernia is causing discomfort during your pregnancy, it can usually be repaired in a surgical procedure with little risk to you or your pregnancy.

And if your hernia develops a serious complication, emergency surgery will be necessary.

But if your hernia isn’t causing any unpleasant symptoms, you may decide to wait until after giving birth to have it repaired. (2)

Symptoms of a Hernia During Pregnancy

Not every pregnant woman who develops a hernia will experience symptoms.

You may only find out that you have a hernia when your doctor does a physical exam or imaging tests related to your pregnancy care.

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But in many women, a hernia shows up as a bulge or lump that appears when you lie down or press on a nearby area. You may only be able to feel this bulge, or it may be visible.

A hernia may also cause pain, which is typically dull but may become sharper when you exert yourself by walking quickly, bending over, sneezing or coughing, lifting heavy objects, or laughing intensely.

Your symptoms may become more intense as your pregnancy progresses and your body weight increases. (1)

You should be able to push your hernia back into your body when you’re lying down. If you have trouble doing this, applying an ice pack to the area may help.

If you can’t push your hernia back into your body under these conditions, this may indicate that your hernia is trapped (incarcerated).

If you suspect that this is the case, see your doctor immediately to help avoid the serious complication of a strangulated hernia, in which the blood supply to the trapped tissue is cut off.

Symptoms of a strangulated hernia may include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sudden pain that gets worse
• Hernia bulge turning red, purple, or dark
• Inability to pass stool or gas (3)

Treating a Hernia During Pregnancy

There’s no strong consensus about the best time to repair a hernia in pregnant women, according to an article published in January 2018 in the journal Frontiers in Surgery. (2)

If your hernia is small and isn’t causing any unpleasant symptoms, you and your doctor may decide to wait until after you give birth to repair it.

But if your hernia is causing you discomfort, most doctors will recommend repairing it while you’re still pregnant.

And if your hernia develops a complication, like becoming trapped or strangulated, emergency surgery will be necessary. (2)

In the absence of an emergency, the following options may be available to treat or manage your hernia during pregnancy:

Elective Repair During Pregnancy

Your doctor may propose surgically repairing your hernia while you’re still pregnant if it’s causing you symptoms, or if it’s large enough to risk developing complications.

The exact timing of your surgery isn’t likely to follow any specific rules. Some doctors recommend it during the first or second trimester, while others believe that the second trimester is the optimal time to operate.

If your hernia is repaired using only sutures — without using steel mesh to support the area of weakened muscle — then the risk of your hernia coming back during your pregnancy is high.

But using mesh in the operation can limit the flexibility of your abdominal wall and cause pain, both during your current pregnancy and in any future one.

Hernia repair surgery during pregnancy is considered to be a safe procedure. As outlined in the Frontiers in Surgery report, in one study of umbilical hernia repair in 126 pregnant women, few side effects and no pregnancy losses were reported within 30 days of the surgery. (2)

Hernia Repair During a C-Section

If you don’t have a particularly severe hernia and plan to give birth by Caesarian section (C-section), you may be able to have your hernia repaired at the same time.

The Frontiers in Surgery article notes that combining a hernia repair with a C-section seems to result in a longer overall procedure to repair the inguinal hernias, but not for umbilical hernias — meaning that it takes no longer than a regular C-section.

Just as with elective repair during pregnancy, using only sutures to perform a repair during a C-section appears to carry a greater risk of hernia recurrence than using steel mesh. (2)

Hernia Repair After Childbirth

For mild hernias, you and your doctor may decide not to repair your hernia during a C-section for a number of reasons, including if you’re planning another pregnancy.

Hernia repair can be done as a separate procedure as soon as five to eight weeks after you give birth, or it can be delayed for a year or longer to allow your body to recover more fully from your pregnancy.

In this situation, delaying a hernia repair for up to five years appears to be safe as long as you continue to look out for hernia enlargement and complications, according to the Frontiers in Surgery article. (2)

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what happens to the body after childbirth

A woman’s body does not rejuvenate during pregnancy and after the birth of a child. We tell you what cardinal changes in the body lead to and what to do about it.

Pregnancy and childbirth are, without exaggeration, the most amazing stages in the life of every woman. Waiting for and meeting a new person can be both very easy and difficult. Everything is individual and often unpredictable. Being aware of what happens “after” will help to cope with possible difficulties, fears and excitement.

After childbirth, the body will not be the same, all women know about it. But, as a rule, most often they mean stretch marks, excess weight, a flabby stomach, severe hair loss during breastfeeding and the consequences after episiotomy (surgical dissection of the perineum and posterior wall of the vagina) during natural childbirth. Less common are brittle teeth, an increase in the size of the foot, a change in the structure of the hair (wavy can become straight and vice versa), and a decrease in vision. Few people talk about urinary incontinence, umbilical hernia, severe dryness of intimate organs and pain in the chest.

So that this does not become a cause for concern and one of the triggers for the development of postpartum depression, it makes sense to understand the physiology of pregnancy and study rehabilitation techniques.

Pregnancy is the strongest restructuring of the body and worldview.

Firstly, you should not worry, because pregnancy is the strongest restructuring of both the body and the worldview. And secondly, the notorious “get in shape after childbirth” is most often inappropriate in any of the situations. The main thing is to give yourself time and help the body recover calmly.

Why do some women recover easily and quickly after childbirth, while others face such serious problems as urinary incontinence, diastasis, hernias, posture disorders, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, dry mucous membranes and loss of vaginal sensitivity? All these consequences of pregnancy are associated with undifferentiated connective tissue dysplasia (CTD).

Candidate of Medical Sciences, obstetrician-gynecologist Inna Kondrashova says that DST is a genetic and autoimmune disorder of collagen synthesis. There are about 20 signs of CTD: tall stature and narrow shoulders, changes in posture and early signs of osteochondrosis, O- or X-shaped deformity of the lower extremities and flat feet, chronic migraines and frequent headaches, asthenia and a low hairline on the forehead, vascular diseases and visual disturbances, a tendency to allergies, and clear, thin, dry skin.

If a woman has more than five signs, then most likely she has undifferentiated CTD, and it is important to take this into account when preparing for and managing pregnancy. Timely diagnosis will help to avoid complications. It is important to start prevention in time, for example, taking the right vitamins (it is especially important to normalize iron levels), a balanced diet (a sufficient amount of protein is needed for the synthesis of collagen and elastin), the use of prenatal and postnatal bandage, exercises to strengthen the muscular frame.

Organ prolapse and urinary incontinence

During pregnancy, the load on the pelvic organs and kidneys increases due to the constant growth of the fetus and the pressure of the enlarged uterus. That is why urination becomes more frequent. Going to the toilet every two hours is not a cause for concern.

Stretched pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy can lead to pelvic organ prolapse, symptoms of which may include urinary incontinence, leakage when coughing or sneezing, pain during intercourse, a feeling of something foreign in the vagina, and as if the bladder is not emptying completely. These features may be slightly more common in women who have given birth vaginally.

As a self-help exercise, pelvic floor exercises work well. Although most women do them incorrectly, straining the auxiliary muscles, abs or buttocks. The easiest way is to imagine that you are stopping the process of urination. Repeat this exercise for several minutes, tensing and then relaxing the muscles.

Elena Lyubimkina, obstetrician-gynecologist, ultrasound and integrative medicine doctor:

“During pregnancy, you need to be especially careful about yourself if a woman has diseases that result in constantly increased pressure inside the abdomen. Most often, these are chronic diseases of the digestive system with persistent constipation or the respiratory system, accompanied by a constant cough.

Obesity significantly increases the load on the pelvic floor muscles. Also, prolapse of the pelvic organs can occur in case of complicated childbirth: large fetus, rapid labor, episiotomy, use of obstetric forceps, vacuum.

Diastasis and umbilical hernia

Another common problem that is not so easy to diagnose. Immediately after childbirth, as a rule, a woman’s belly remains soft, like a pillow, about the size of the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy (although everything is individual). There may also be a protruding navel.

During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles and connective tissues stretch due to the expanding uterus. Diastasis is the separation of the rectus abdominis muscles. According to a 2015 study, 100% of women who gave birth have this pathology.

A month or two after childbirth, you can do a test: lie on your back, bending your knees, and lift your upper body, placing your fingers on your navel. If the fingers fall inward a little, into a line along the abdomen, then this is diastasis. The width of the dip up to two and a half centimeters is the norm. Moreover, there is no need to hurry with the exercises, because, as a rule, the muscles converge on their own after six months.

With diastasis, in no case should you pump the press! It is necessary to use the oblique muscles of the abdomen: do side and reverse planks, pull-ups on all fours – and not earlier than two months after childbirth and a mandatory consultation with a doctor. You can get rid of severe diastasis with the help of abdominoplasty, that is, surgically.

“Do breathing exercises, abdominal massage, Kegel exercises and glute bridge already in the postpartum ward. Be sure to wear a bandage and be careful when lifting heavy weights, no more than four to five kilograms for six to eight weeks. It is also important to maintain an adequate drinking regimen and balance the diet with fiber to prevent constipation,” recommends Elena Lyubimkina.

Stoop and pain in chest

During pregnancy, the center of gravity shifts, a deflection occurs in the lumbar region, because of this, the spine in the chest area is rounded, that is, kyphosis is formed. In the last stages of pregnancy, it can pull the lower back, and after childbirth, pain in the spine in the chest area is possible. In addition, many women feed the baby at first, hunched over, bending over him. It is better to use a special pillow and lean back to relax as much as possible.

Daily exercise with an emphasis on the upper body, swimming and massage can significantly improve the condition.

Severe dryness of intimate organs

After natural childbirth, the vagina can be traumatized, enlarged and torn. This goes on for a month. However, then there may be a feeling of severe dryness, burning and even tingling during washing, which is associated with a drop in estrogen levels due to lactation.

As soon as a woman stops breastfeeding and the menstrual cycle resumes, estrogen levels return to normal. Before that, in case of discomfort during sex, you need to use a water-based lubricant, a condom with a sufficient amount of lubricant. In some cases, using a moisturizing gel throughout the day may help.

Umbilical hernia during pregnancy – what to do?

Contents

Hernia is the formation of a protrusion of the wall of the cavity. It can form in any cavities of the human body. Most often, the protrusion is formed in the region of the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity, namely the umbilical ring. An umbilical hernia during pregnancy is formed due to weakening of the ligaments of the muscles, the area of ​​​​the ring by the growing uterus, and an increase in the entire abdomen in volume.

Reasons for the formation of

During the growth of the uterus in the later stages, there is a significant increase in its size, this leads to an increase in the volume of the woman’s abdomen, as well as a significant stretching of the muscles of the ring area. This factor is the main mechanism for the development of protrusion. Also umbilical hernia after pregnancy, which is associated with still insufficient strength, muscle elasticity. There are several factors that provoke such a pathological process:

• Hereditary predisposition, in which there is a genetic defect in the strength, elasticity of muscles, as well as connective tissue.
• Increased weight of the woman, which can provoke stretching of the abdominal wall.
• Large fetus or two or more fetuses, they significantly increase the volume of the uterus.
• Polyhydramnios – a condition of increased volume of amniotic fluid.
• Re-conception of a child – the likelihood of developing a protrusion increases significantly with each subsequent pregnancy, especially if previous births were characterized by a severe course.

An umbilical hernia during pregnancy can provoke a number of complications, so it requires careful monitoring, as well as observation by a doctor.

Complications

An umbilical hernia in women during pregnancy can provoke a number of complications, which are quite a serious condition. They can lead to disruption of the physiological course of childbirth. A complication that poses a direct threat to the health and life of a woman is pinching, while squeezing the contents of the bag (intestinal loop or omentum), impaired blood flow, and subsequent necrosis (tissue death). Also, such a pathological process provokes the development of severe constipation.

Treatment

The uncomplicated course of this pathological protrusion does not require surgical intervention. Usually, a careful observation is carried out by the surgeon’s doctors, the implementation of recommendations (you can not lift weights, you should wear a special bandage). The development of complications, in particular pinching, is a direct indication for surgical intervention. In the absence of complications, the removal of the protrusion is carried out after childbirth, as well as the restoration of the adaptive capabilities of the woman’s body.

Pregnancy after umbilical hernia removal

If a woman plans to become pregnant after removal of a pathological protrusion, then it is advisable to do this no earlier than a few years after the operation. Such a period of time is necessary for sufficient strengthening of the abdominal wall of the ring area. Also, the duration depends on the type of surgery, the presence of ring plastics.

Pregnancy after an umbilical hernia operation is best planned together with a surgeon and a gynecologist, who, after a thorough examination, will recommend a period of time after which you can become pregnant. At the same time, doctors will definitely recommend measures that will prevent the re-formation of a pathological protrusion of the abdominal wall.