Do umbilical hernias always need surgery?

Posted on February 20 2019

No, umbilical hernias do not always need surgery. You may need surgery for your umbilical hernia when it:

  • Produces pain
  • Is bigger than ½ inch
  • Is strangulated

In Infants:

If an umbilical hernia pops up at birth, it can thrust the child’s belly button out. In most cases, umbilical hernias will heal without surgery in newborns. But, your physician may recommend hernia repair surgery in the following cases:

  • If the child’s hernia has not gone away for 3 to 4 years
  • If the child’s hernia causes pain or limited blood supply

In adults:

In adults, umbilical hernias are less likely to heal on their own. Rather, they would grow bigger within time and in most cases, it would require surgical repair.