Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
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During the period 12 March 1980 to 10 March 1981 a consecutive series of 1200 Xhosa (Black) infants and young children, ranging in age from the newborn to the prepubertal, who attended the general outpatients department for a variety of medical complaints were examined for umbilical herniation. None had undergone any surgical operation, and patients with conditions possibly associated with umbilical herniation were excluded. ⋯ The overall incidence was reflected in each age group by a preponderance of children with umbilical hernia. This study confirms the validity of a generally-held impression that in Black children there is a strong tendency towards the persistence of umbilical hernia when it appears after separation of the cord.