Question
My child is a premature baby and has now developed a hernia. Why do premature babies tend to get hernias?
Answer
A hernia occurs when organs or tissues protrude through an opening in the abdominal wall. The main features of a hernia include the hernia hole and the hernia sac. The hernia hole is a defect in the deepest layer of the abdominal wall fascia, and the hernia sac is the part that bulges outward from the abdominal wall membrane. Inguinal hernias, which refer to protrusions or swellings above the inguinal canal, are the most common site for hernia formation. Inguinal hernias in men are about 25 times more common than in women, and femoral hernias occur between the inguinal canal and the upper thigh, being more common in elderly women.