What is an omphalocele? An omphalocele is a birth defect, which
is an abnormality that occurs before birth as a fetus is forming
in its mother's uterus. Some of the abdominal organs protrude
through an opening in the abdominal muscles in the area of the
umbilical cord. A translucent membrane covers the protruding
organs. The omphalocele may be small, with only a portion of the
intestine protruding outside the abdominal cavity, or large,
with most of the abdominal organs (including intestine, liver,
and spleen) present outside the abdominal cavity. Further, the
abdominal cavity itself may be small due to underdevelopment
during pregnancy. What causes an omphalocele? It is not known
what causes omphalocele. Steps that normally happen in the
development of the abdominal organs and muscles simply did not
happen properly. It is not known to be caused by anything the
mother did during pregnancy. Many babies born with an
omphalocele also have other abnormalities. Why is an omphalocele
a concern? Since some or all of