Can you tell during the pregnancy if your child will have omphalocele?

Yes: Omphalocoele is a genetic defect and the best way to determine its presence is with a detailed fetal ultrasound. If you have concerns about this it is best to bring it up with your obstetrician.

Ultrasound might: An abdominal wall defect like omphalocele might be suspected or detected during a routine ultrasound. If so, it is important for the pregnant woman to have an immediate referral to perinatologist for detailed imaging to confirm it and to look for other birth defects which can occur. The maternal-fetal medicine (mfm) subspecialist can also provide counseling and discuss other testing.

Depends: Omphalocele can be diagnosed with a prenatal ultrasound.

Yes: During development, the growing intestines herniate out through the umbilicus & eventually return to the peritoneal cavity during the 1st trimester. The failure of these intestines to return results in omphalocele. If this finding is present on routine screening ultrasound at 20 weeks gestation, the child will be born with omphalocele.