Spina Bifida

Spina bifida is a birth defect of the spine. The unborn baby’s spine doesn’t form normally. Sometimes the spinal cord and nerves coming from it are affected. This may cause no problems, or it may cause long-term problems with walking, urinating, and passing stool.

• Spina bifida affects the middle and lower back

• A few children also have brain defects

• Defects range from small to large

• Small defects usually cause no symptoms

• Large defects may cause leg weakness and problems walking, curvature of the spine, or bladder problems

• Damage to the brain or spinal cord is much more likely when the tissue visibly bulges from the back of the baby

• If parts of the spinal cord are exposed, the baby may develop an infection (meningitis)

Spina Bifida: A Defect of the Spine

In spina bifida, the bones of the spine (vertebrae) do not form normally. Spina bifida can vary in severity. In occult spinal dysraphism, one or more vertebrae do not form normally, and the spinal cord and the layers of tissues (meninges) surrounding it may also be affected. There are several types with differing neurologic severities. The diagnosis is sometimes suggested by symptoms in the lower back, such as a tuft of hair, a dimpling, or a pigmented area on the skin over the defect. In a meningocele, the meninges protrude through the incompletely formed vertebrae, resulting in a fluid-filled bulge under the skin. The spinal cord is in its normal location. The most severe type is a meningomyelocele, in which the meninges and spinal cord protrude. The affected area appears raw and red, and the infant is likely to be severely impaired.

Causes of spina bifida include:

• A genetic disorder

• Using certain medicines during pregnancy, such as valproate

Many children who have small defects have no symptoms. Most symptoms are from brain damage or spinal cord damage. 

Symptoms include:

• Too much fluid in the spaces within the brain (hydrocephalus)

• Learning disabilities

• Difficulty swallowing

• Difficulty walking

• Lack of normal feeling in the skin over the spinal cord

• Inability or difficulty urinating

• Frequent urinary tract infections

• Loss of control over passing stool

Doctors do a screening during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. This may include:

• Ultrasound

• Blood test

• Testing the fluid around the baby (amniocentesis)

Usually, doctors do surgery.

• A team of specialists decide on the type and how severe the defect is, and talk to the family about treatment and care

• Doctors will treat problems of the bladder, bone, muscle, and other areas

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