Stitches

What are some reasons a premature baby would have stitches in their stomach?

I have stitches in my stomach since I was born 24 weeks premature, and have been having severe pain in my stomach for the past year. Also if a person were to get pregnant with stitches in their stomach, would that be dangerous for the woman and potential fetus? I don't know why I had stitches put into my stomach either, as my mother never discussed my medical records with me. Sorry I mean staples in the stomach.

Public Comments

1. something u should know about.. you obviously had something? maybe cut by the scalpel during delivery.. or maybe had surgery.. they are your meduical records ask to see them from the hospital
2. It could be that your intestines were out ..
3. If you had stitches in your stomach when you were a newborn, they wouldn't still be there as an adult woman. Nothing to worry about from that aspect. However, if you had any abdominal problems at birth, its something you need to know about. The stitches could have been from anything. You may have needed a surgery. It may have been from a feeding tube. It may have been just a corrective surgery. Who knows? Start asking family members about it or figure out how to dig up your medical records. *Staples don't stay in a wound either. They would have been removed at some point and time.
4. Depending on your age, and how differently the surgery was preformed around the time you were born,maybe it is possible that you probably had Gastroschisis as a child ? I know depending on the damage to the bowel upon birth, a child can have some pretty complex surgery. Google Gastroschisis and see if any of the symptoms experienced by people born with the condition match yours. Also, you should try to speak with someone in your family about your condition at birth if your mother won't discuss that with you. It's certainly your right to know your medical history.
5. Extemely premature babies (born before 28 weeks, so this could include you) are at a high risk of NEC (Necrotizing Enterocolitis) which is a condition where the bowel is not adequately supplied with oxygen. This may or may not cause some of the bowel to die, meaning that it would have to be removed in order to prevent infection & save your life. This is the most common reason for a 24 weeker to have belly stitches, but there are many more reasons. Can you still ask your mother about your medical history? NICU RN
6. You couldn't have possibly been born 24 weeks premature. A pregnancy is 40 weeks- 24 weeks = 16 weeks. Even in this day and age a fetus is not viable at that age. If you meant you were born at 24 weeks, I am assuming you are at least 15 or so to be writing this. Also HIGHLY unlikely that you would have survived at 24 weeks gestation. I smell a troll! Thumbs down all you want. 24 weeks gestation is borderline viable in 2008. It was next to impossible 15 years ago...