All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Age features of the stomach
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
The stomach of the newborn has the form of a cylinder or bovine horn, a fish hook. The cardial part, the bottom and the pyrrhic department are weakly expressed, the pylorus is wide. The stomach volume is about 50 cm 3; length - 5 cm, width - 3 cm. By the end of the first year of life, the stomach lengthens, and in the period from 7 to 11 years takes shape, as in an adult. The formation of the cardiac part is completed only by the beginning of the period of the second childhood (8 years). At the end of the first year of life, the length of the stomach reaches 9 cm, the width is 7 cm, and the volume increases to 250-300 cm 3. At the age of 2 years, the stomach volume is 490-590 cm 3, 3 years - 580-680 cm 3, to 4 years - 750 cm 3. By the end of the second childhood period (12 years), the volume increases to 1300-1500 cm 3. In children who are on artificial feeding, the stomach is stretched, especially in the area of the front wall. A significant part of the stomach of the newborn (cardia, the bottom, part of the body) is in the left hypochondrium and covered with the left lobe of the liver. Great curvature is due to the transverse colon. With a decrease in the left lobe of the liver, the stomach approaches the anterior abdominal wall and shifts to the epigastric region.
The entrance of the stomach at the newborn is at the level of VIII-IX, and the orifice of the pylorus - XI-XII thoracic vertebrae. As the child grows and develops, the stomach goes down, and at the age of 7 years, with the vertical position of the body, its inlet is projected between the XI-XII thoracic vertebrae, and the output one is between the XII thoracic and I lumbar vertebrae. In old age, the stomach goes down even more.
The mucous membrane of the stomach in newborns is relatively thick, the folds are high. Gastric margins are 1-5 mm in size, there are about 200 000 gastric dimples. By 3 months of life, the number of such dimples increases to 700 000, by 2 years - up to 1 300 000, by 15 years - 4 mln.
The muscular membrane of the stomach of the newborn has three layers, the longitudinal layer and oblique fibers of this shell are poorly developed. The maximum thickness of the muscle shell reaches 15-20 years.
[