If left untreated, gastroschisis is fatal to the infant; however, in adequate settings the survival rate for treated infants is 90%.

Most risks of gastroschisis are related to decreased bowel function. Sometimes blood flow to the exposed organs is impaired or there may be less than the normal amount of intestine. This may put infants at risk for other dangerous conditions such as necrotizing enterocolitis. Also, because their intestines are exposed, infants with gastroschisis are at increased risk for infection, and must be closely monitored.

The most common cause of non-duodenal intestinal atresia is a vascular accident in utero that leads to decreased intestinal perfusion and ischemia of the respective segment of bowel. This leads to narrowing, or in the most severe cases, complete obliteration of the intestinal lumen.

In the case that the superior mesenteric artery, or another major intestinal artery, is occluded, large segments of bowel can be entirely underdeveloped. Classically, the affected area of bowel assumes a spiral configuration and is described to have an "apple peel" like appearance; this is accompanied by lack of a dorsal mesentery.

Ileal atresia can also result as a complication of meconium ileus.

Fetal and neonatal intestinal atresia are treated using laparotomy after birth. If the area affected is small, the surgeon may be able to remove the damaged portion and join the intestine back together. In instances where the narrowing is longer, or the area is damaged and cannot be used for period of time, a temporary stoma may be placed.

Approximately 20–40 percent of all infants with duodenal atresia have Down syndrome. . Approximately 8% of infants with Down syndrome have duodenal atresia.

With early intervention, morbidity and mortality of cases of intestinal obstruction is low. The outcome is in part dependent upon congenital comorbidities and delays in diagnosis and management.

As of 2015 the worldwide incidence was about 2 to 5 per 10 000 live births, and this number seemed to be increasing.

As of 2017 the CDC estimates that about 1,871 babies are born each year in the United States with gastroschisis.

Prognosis is usually very good, although complications are more likely to occur when there are serious congenital anomalies. Late complications may occur in about 12 percent of patients with duodenal atresia, and the mortality rate for these complications is 6 percent.

The prognosis for non-ischemic cases of SBO is good with mortality rates of 3–5%, while prognosis for SBO with ischemia is fair with mortality rates as high as 30%.

Cases of SBO related to cancer are more complicated and require additional intervention to address the malignancy, recurrence, and metastasis, and thus are associated with poorer prognosis.

All cases of abdominal surgical intervention are associated with increased risk of future small-bowel obstructions. Statistics from U.S. healthcare report 18.1% re-admittance rate within 30 days for patients who undergo SBO surgery. More than 90% of patients also form adhesions after major abdominal surgery.

Common consequences of these adhesions include small-bowel obstruction, chronic abdominal pain, pelvic pain, and infertility.

Fetal and neonatal bowel obstructions are often caused by an intestinal atresia, where there is a narrowing or absence of a part of the intestine. These atresias are often discovered before birth via an ultrasound, and treated with using laparotomy after birth. If the area affected is small, then the surgeon may be able to remove the damaged portion and join the intestine back together. In instances where the narrowing is longer, or the area is damaged and cannot be used for a period of time, a temporary stoma may be placed.

Meckel's diverticulum occurs in about 2% of the population. Prevalence in males is 3–5 times higher than in females. Only 2% of cases are symptomatic, which usually presents among children at the age of 2.

Most cases of Meckel's diverticulum are diagnosed when complications manifest or incidentally in unrelated conditions such as laparotomy, laparoscopy or contrast study of the small intestine. Classic presentation in adults includes intestinal obstruction and inflammation of the diverticulum (diverticulitis). Painless rectal bleeding most commonly occurs in toddlers.

Inflammation in the ileal diverticulum has symptoms that mimic appendicitis, therefore its diagnosis is of clinical importance. Detailed knowledge of the pathophysiological properties is essential in dealing with the life-threatening complications of Meckel's diverticulum.

An acquired umbilical hernia directly results from increased intra-abdominal pressure caused by obesity, heavy lifting, a long history of coughing, or multiple pregnancies.

The diagnosis is suspected based on polyhydramnios in uteru, bilious vomiting, failure to pass meconium in the first day of life, and abdominal distension. The presentations of NBO may vary. It may be subtle and easily overlooked on physical examination or can involve massive abdominal distension, respiratory distress and cardiovascular collapse. Unlike older children, neonates with unrecognized intestinal obstruction deteriorate rapidly.

Treatment is surgical, potentially with a laparoscopic resection. In patients with bleeding, strangulation of bowel, bowel perforation or bowel obstruction, treatment involves surgical resection of both the Meckel's diverticulum itself along with the adjacent bowel segment, and this procedure is called a "small bowel resection". In patients without any of the aforementioned complications, treatment involves surgical resection of the Meckel's diverticulum only, and this procedure is called a simple diverticulectomy.

With regards to asymptomatic Meckel's diverticulum, some recommend that a search for Meckel's diverticulum should be conducted in every case of appendectomy/laparotomy done for acute abdomen, and if found, Meckel's diverticulectomy or resection should be performed to avoid secondary complications arising from it.

Navels with the umbilical tip protruding past the umbilical skin ("outies") are often mistaken for umbilical hernias, which are a completely different shape. Treatment for cosmetic purposes is not necessary, unless there are Incarceration refers to the inability to reduce the hernia back into the abdominal cavity. Prolonged incarceration can lead to tissue ischemia (strangulation) and shock when untreated.

Umbilical hernias are rare. With a study involving Africans, 92% of children had protrusions, 49% of adults, and 90% of pregnant women. However, a much smaller amount actually suffered from hernias: only 23% of children, 8% of adults, and 15% of pregnant women.

When the orifice is small (< 1 or 2 cm), 90% close within 3 years (some sources state 85% of all umbilical hernias, regardless of size), and if these hernias are asymptomatic, reducible, and don't enlarge, no surgery is needed (and in other cases it must be considered).

Gastroschisis is a similar birth defect, but in gastroschisis the umbilical cord is not involved and the lesion is usually to the right of midline. Parts of organs may be free in the amniotic fluid, and not enclosed in a membranous (peritoneal) sac. Gastroschisis is less frequently associated with other defects than omphalocele.

Omphaloceles occurs more frequently with increased maternal age.

Other related syndromes are Pentalogy of Cantrell, Beckwith-Wiedemann, and OEIS complex (omphalocele, exstrophy of the cloaca, imperforate anus, spinal defects).

Umbilical cord ulceration and intestinal atresia is a rare congenital disease that leads to intestinal atresia, umbilical cord ulceration and severe intrauterine haemorrhage. Only 15 cases have so far been reported, though newer studies are beginning to conclude that this disease has a higher incidence rate than has been previously reported. A particular study has given intestinal atresia and umbilical cord ulceration a clear link after 5 such cases were reported at the time of publication.

The primary concern with umbilical cord prolapse is inadequate blood supply, and thus oxygen, to the fetus if the cord becomes compressed. The cord can become compressed either due to mechanical pressure (usually from the presenting fetal part) or from sudden contraction of the vessels due to decreased temperatures in the vagina in comparison to the uterus. This can lead to death of the fetus or other complications.

Historically, the rate of fetal death in the setting of cord prolapse has been as high 40%. However, these estimates occurred in the context of home or births outside of the hospital. When considering cord prolapses that have occurred in inpatient labor and delivery settings, the rate drops to as low as 0-3%, though the mortality rate remains higher than for fetuses without cord prolapse. The reduction in mortality for hospital births is likely due to the ready availability of immediate cesarean section.

Many other fetal outcomes have been studied, including Apgar score (a quick assessment of a newborn's health status) at 5 minutes and length of hospitalization after delivery. While both measures are worse for newborns delivered after cord prolapse, it is unclear what effect this has in the long-term. Relatively large studies that have tried to quantify long-term effects of cord prolapse on children found that less than 1% (1 in 120 studied) suffered a major neurologic handicap, and less than 1% (110 in 16,675) had diagnosed cerebral palsy.

Biliary atresia seems to affect females slightly more often than males, and Asians and African Americans more often than Caucasians. It is common for only one child in a pair of twins or within the same family to have the condition. There seems to be no link to medications or immunizations given immediately before or during pregnancy. Diabetes during pregnancy particularly during the first trimester seems to predispose to a number of distinct congenital abnormalities in the infant such as sacral agenesis and the syndromic form of biliary atresia.

Caused by malrotation of the bowels while returning to the abdomen during development. Some cases of omphalocele are believed to be due to an underlying genetic disorder, such as Edward's syndrome (trisomy 18) or Patau syndrome (trisomy 13).

Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome is also associated with omphaloceles.

Atresia is a condition in which an orifice or passage in the body is (usually abnormally) closed or absent.

Examples of atresia include:

- Biliary atresia, a condition in newborns in which the common bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked or absent.

- Choanal atresia, blockage of the back of the nasal passage, usually by abnormal bony or soft tissue.

- Esophageal atresia, which affects the alimentary tract and causes the esophagus to end before connecting normally to the stomach.

- Imperforate anus, malformation of the opening between the rectum and anus.

- Intestinal atresia, malformation of the intestine, usually resulting from a vascular accident in utero.

- Microtia, absence of the ear canal or failure of the canal to be tubular or fully formed (can be related to Microtia, a congenital deformity of the pinna, or outer ear).

- Ovarian follicle atresia, the degeneration and subsequent resorption of one or more immature ovarian follicles.

- Potter sequence, congenital decreased size of the kidney leading to absolutely no functionality of the kidney, usually related to a single kidney.

- Pulmonary atresia, malformation of the pulmonary valve in which the valve orifice fails to develop.

- Renal agenesis, only having one kidney.

- Tricuspid atresia, a form of congenital heart disease whereby there is a complete absence of the tricuspid valve, and consequently an absence of the right atrioventricular connection.

- Vaginal atresia, a congenital occlusion of the vagina or subsequent adhesion of the walls of the vagina, resulting in its occlusion.

The incidence of umbilical cord prolapse ranges from 0.1-0.6% of all pregnancies. This rate has remained stable over time. A recent study estimates 77% of cord prolapses occur in singleton pregnancies, or those where there is only one fetus. In twin pregnancies, cord prolapses occur more frequently in the second twin to be delivered, with 9% in the first twin and 14% in the second twin.

Many people are managed through day surgery centers, and are able to return to work within a week or two, while intense activities are prohibited for a longer period. People who have their hernias repaired with mesh often recover within a month, though pain can last longer. Surgical complications include pain that lasts more than three months, surgical site infections, nerve and blood vessel injuries, injury to nearby organs, and hernia recurrence. Pain that lasts more than three months occurs in about 10% of people following hernia repair.

Very few risk factors for choanal atresia have been identified. While causes are unknown, both genetic and environmental triggers are suspected. One study suggests that chemicals that act as endocrine disrupters may put an unborn infant at risk. A 2012 epidemiological study looked at atrazine, a commonly used herbicide in the U.S., and found that women who lived in counties in Texas with the highest levels of this chemical being used to treat agricultural crops were 80 times more likely to give birth to infants with choanal atresia or stenosis compared to women who lived in the counties with the lowest levels. Another epidemiological report in 2010 found even higher associations between increased incidents of choanal atresia and exposure to second-hand-smoke, coffee consumption, high maternal zinc and B-12 intake and exposure to anti-infective urinary tract medications.

About 27% of males and 3% of females develop a groin hernia at some time in their life. In 2013 about 25 million people had a hernia. Inguinal, femoral and abdominal hernias resulted in 32,500 deaths globally in 2013 and 50,500 in 1990.

Specific causes of colic are best managed with certain drugs. These include:

- Spasmolytic agents, most commonly Buscopan, especially in the case of gas colic.

- Pro-motility agents: metoclopramide, lidocaine, bethanechol, and erythromycin are used in cases of ileus.

- Anti-inflammatories are often used in the case of enteritis or colitis.

- Anti-microbials may be administered if an infectious agent is suspected to be the underlying cause of colic.

- Phenylephrine: used in cases of nephrosplenic entrapment to contract the spleen, and is followed by light exercise to try to shift the displaced colon back into its normal position.

- Psyllium may be given via nasogastric tube to treat sand colic.

- Anthelminthics for parasitic causes of colic.