What causes a hernia?
A hernia can develop in the first few months after the baby is born because of a weakness in the muscles of the abdomen.
What is an inguinal hernia?
As a male fetus grows and matures during pregnancy, the testicles develop in the abdomen and then move down into the scrotum through an area called the inguinal canal. Shortly after the baby is born, the inguinal canal closes, preventing the testicles from moving back into the abdomen. If this area does not close off completely, a loop of intestine can move into the inguinal canal through the weakened area of the lower abdominal wall, causing a hernia.
Although girls do not have testicles, they do have an inguinal canal, so they can develop hernias in this area as well. Inguinal hernias do not less as frequently among females as they do in males.
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