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Umbilical hernia question
I am a 34 year old female (no prior pregnancies, healthy BMI) and recently developed a sharp pain underneath the belly button after straining with heavy luggage. The pain only occurs when I sit for extended periods of time at work or bend over to pick something up. If I stand or lay down it does not hurt.
After a CT Scan and ultrasound the surgeon found a small umbilical hernia less than 1 cm that contains only fat so they have advised me to watch and wait for a few weeks.
My question is for a woman who plans to get pregnant, does it make more sense to delay the surgery until after having children?
There is not a lot of information available about umbilical hernias in adults, let alone women who want to conceive. Please help!
Thanks,
ds2003 -
5 Replies
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Umbilical hernia question
In the groin. No problem. But with the umbilicus, there were reports of chronic pain as the abdomen expands, as the area of mesh repair cannot expand. And then this is the source of the pain. I don’t put mesh if I can help it until the women are done with their pregnancy. That said, your experience is helpful to know. I’ve never done it myself. Just gone on others’ experience.
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Umbilical hernia question
Can you expand on your opinion that there is an increased risk of mesh related pain during pregnancy? This is not something I have seen. In fact, I have seen pregnant women with pain from their umbilical hernia, but never from mesh. I have a couple women that have had more than one pregnancy after mesh repair of umbilical hernia without problems. Have you had negative experiences with this?
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Umbilical hernia question
I don’t recommend mesh if less than 1cm hernia
I also prefer not to place mesh if pregnancy planned. Dr Earle has had good experience with mesh. I have not placed mesh as I personally feel there is a risk of mesh-related chronic pain during pregnancy
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Umbilical hernia question
DS2003 – if it’s causing you problems, then fixing it sooner is probably warranted. If you’re planning to get pregnant, I typically recommend a mesh repair. I have done this several times with a variety of techniques and have had no problems during pregnancy or delivery regarding complications or recurrence. If you don’t use mesh, and you get pregnant, there will be an increased risk that the hernia will come back and you will require another operation to fix it. Hope this helps!
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Umbilical hernia question
ds2003,
As you have said there is little information on this subject so it is a bit of a gray area. If the hernia is small like you have described and you are planning to get pregnant again soon then I usually wait in my patients until after the pregnancy in asymptomatic situations. If it is causing you pain and discomfort or there is a small piece of fat contained in it that is incarcerated and unable to push back in then it may be worth considering getting it done now as it is usually an outpatient procedure. In these situations I explain to patients that I am going to fix it primarily with sutures right now and if it recurs we will do a bigger mesh repair when you are done having children. Especially at the size you describe. Others might be more agressive and put mesh in now but I have seen the mesh migrate with pregnancy so I prefer to delay until after child bearing. Hope that helps a little bit.
Dr. Szotek
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