An omphalocele is a type of hernia. Hernia means "rupture” or
“breaking”. An omphalocele is a birth defect in which the infant's
intestine or other organs within the abdomen stick out of the belly
button or navel into the umbilical cord.
To learn more about Omphalocele click on one of the following links
or scroll down the page.
What We Know About Omphalocele
- How often does Omphalocele occur?
- What problems do children with Omphalocele have?
What We Still Do Not Know About
Omphalocele
- What causes omphalocele?
- Can omphalocele be prevented?
Resources for Families and Individuals
Affected by Omphalocele
| What
We Know About Omphalocele |
How often does omphalocele occur?
CDC estimates that each year about 1,000 babies in the United States
will be born with omphalocele (1). In other words, about 1 in every
4,000 babies born in the United States will have omphalocele.
What problems do children with omphalocele have?
Unfortunately, almost all babies born with omphalocele will die.
Babies born with omphalocele are usually blind, deaf, unconscious,
and unable to feel pain. Various studies have shown the survival of
infants with omphalocele to be almost impossible. A 2001 study found
that, among a group of infants in Texas, all of those with
omphalocele died before 1 year of age (2).
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| What
We Still Do Not Know About Omphalocele |
What causes omphalocele?
The cause of omphalocele is unknown. Scientists believe that many
factors are involved.
We at CDC work with many researchers to study risk factors that can
increase the chance of having a baby with omphalocele. Following are
examples of what our research has found:
- Hispanic babies are at an increased risk for omphalocele
(3).
- We have found a 21% decline in the birth rate of babies born
with omphalocele since the United States began fortifying grains
with folic acid (4).
Can omphalocele be prevented?
Currently, there is no known way to prevent omphalocele, although
steps can be taken to lower the risk. Recent studies have shown that
the addition of a B vitamin called folic acid to the diet of women
who might become pregnant can greatly reduce the number of babies
born with neural tube defects. CDC recommends that all women of
childbearing age consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. A
single serving size of most multivitamins and fortified cereals
contains 400 micrograms of folic acid.
In addition, women can take steps before and during pregnancy to be
healthy, including not smoking and not drinking alcohol during
pregnancy.
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|
Resources for Families and Individuals Affected by
Omphalocele |
Medline
Fetal Treatment Center at UCSF
References
- 1. Canfield MA, Honein MA, Yuskiv N, Xing J, Mai CT, Collins
JS, et al. National estimates and race/ethnic-specific variation
of selected birth defects in the United States, 1999-2001. Birth
Defects Res Part A Clin Mol Teratol. 2006;76(11):747–56.
- 2. Botto LD, Mulinaire J, Erickson JD. Occurrence of
omphalocele in relation to maternal multivitamin use: a
population-based study. Pediatrics. 2002; 109:904-8.
- 3. Watkins ML, Rasmussen SA, Honein MA, Botto LD, Moore CA.
Maternal obesity and risk for birth defects. Pediatrics. 2003;
111(5):1152-58.
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Date:
March 11, 2009
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
