The last thing a parent wants to see after bringing home their bundle of joy from the hospital is an unexplained bulge protruding from their infant's umbilical cord or genitals. But experts say hernias are quite common, especially in premature babies.

Susan Marie Thompson, mother of four from Clybucca, Australia, had no idea how common they were until her infant son developed one. "Brendan was less than 2 months old when he developed an inguinal hernia on the left side of his genitals," Thompson says. "His intestines were making their way in and out of a hole that had formed when he was in the womb. He was six weeks early and as a result of the hernia, going to the toilet and wind made his life hell. He had surgery three weeks later, after having it brought forward due to the formation of another one [on] the right side."

After a two-hour surgery, Thompson says her son was like a different child: happy with no more physical problems. As the Thompsons discovered, the outcome for most hernias is good.

According to Dr. Edmund Kessler, attending surgeon at Columbia Eastside Medical Center and an assistant professor of surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, the operation to repair a hernia either in vitro or after birth is, barring any complications, simple. If the surgery is performed in vitro, "[t]he healing process is rapid and pain relief is achieved by the administration of a small dose of long-acting local anesthesia by the surgeon into the womb at the time of surgery," Dr. Kessler says. And if the surgery is performed at birth, "[a] small dose of infant analgesia may be required for a day or two post operatively."

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.