The normal position of the umbilicus in the newborn: An aid to improving the cosmetic result in exomphalos major

Exomphalos major is an inherited disorder characterized by defects in the central portion of abdomen. Because of major improvements in the survival of these patients in recent years, primary repair of abdominal wall and reconstruction are considered. Therefore, umbilicus position will be an important landmark for abdominoplasty. The aim of this study was to determine normal position of umbilicus in healthy Iranian neonates to improve cosmetic outcome of exomphalos major repair. In a cross-sectional study comprising 200 healthy Iranian neonates (107 boys and 93 girls), who were born in Esfahan, the position of the umbilicus was determined in all of them by measuring the distance of xiphisternum to pubis in midline and determining umbilical position in this line. Our findings showed that umbilical position was 59.28±5.2 percent off the way from the inferior border of xiphisternum to the superior border of the pubis in the midline, and it was independent of sex and neonatal growth indices.