What may cause a ventral hernia?
You may get a ventral hernia when the muscles of your abdomen become weak. Some causes of weakness in the wall of your abdomen may include the following: • Past surgeries: If you have had abdomen surgery, you may get a hernia along the incision (cut) where surgery was done. If your wound (surgery area) gets infected, it is more likely to get weak. You may also get a hernia next to a stoma. A stoma is an opening in your abdomen that drains stool from your bowels. • Muscle strain: If your abdomen muscles are weak or strained, pressure may cause a ventral hernia. Heavy lifting can cause muscle strain. In women, the stretching of the abdomen during pregnancy can also cause muscle strain. • Your body: You may be born with weak abdomen muscles. You may have a ventral hernia at birth or you may develop it sometime during your life.
