Spina Bifida?

A couple of weeks ago our family received the news that our unborn baby has Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida is where the back does not develop properly, leaving the spinal cord exposed. Which in the end causes the lower half of the body to have complications and doesn't work properly. There are two things that we can do. We can wait until he is born and  have surgery to repair the legion on his back. Or we can have the surgery before he is born, giving him a better chance at walking and moving his lower half. As a family we have chosen to have the surgery as soon as possible.


Spina bifida is a congenital defect consisting of an opening in the spinal column. The most severe form is called myelomeningocele. Most children with this birth defect survive, but they can be left with many disabilities, including paralysis, difficulty with bowel and bladder control, a Chiari II malformation, hydrocephalus (excessive fluid in the brain), and mental retardation. In general, the higher the spinal opening occurs on the back, the greater the impairment.

Treatment for Myelomeningocele

Infants with myelomeningocele have always had surgery shortly after birth to protect the spinal cord by closing the normal tissues of the back. Very often, a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt was also placed to treat hydrocephalus. Due to the success of the MOMS Study, fetal surgery is now considered to be a treatment option for some cases of myelomeningocele.

Fetal Surgery for MyelomeningocelePrenatal repair of myelomeningocele involves a fetal surgery handled by a multidisciplinary team of experts. The procedure is much like a cesarean section however the fetus is not removed and the umbilical cord is not touched. An incision is made in the mother’s abdomen and uterus just large enough for the spinal defect to be operated upon. The neural tube and other layers of the back are surgically closed by the neurosurgeon. After the procedure, the incisions in the mother are closed.