Is a Hiatal Hernia Present at Birth?

The esophagus carries food from the mouth to the stomach, passing through an opening, called the hiatus, in the diaphragm. With a hiatal hernia, part or all of the stomach protrudes up through the hiatus.

Newborns

• A hiatal hernia can be present at birth as the result of problem the baby developed in utero, such as an abnormally large hiatus.

Other Causes

• Common causes of hiatal hernias include injury, weakening of muscles due to old age, or a sudden and intense increase of pressure within the abdomen, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Significance

• According to eMedicine, about 70 percent of people over the age of 70 have a hiatal hernia. For people under age 40, the rate is less than 10 percent, and newborns rarely have a hiatal hernia at birth.

Symptoms

• Symptoms present with this condition include nausea, heartburn, chest pain and indigestion, according to eMedicine. Most hiatal hernias are minor and cause no symptoms, however, going undiagnosed until discovered during tests for another medical problem.

Treatment

• The Mayo Clinic says treatment includes dietary changes and medications that minimize or neutralize stomach acid. Rarely, large hiatal hernias are life threatening and surgery is needed.