What do you mean by spina bifida?
Spina bifida is a condition that affects the spine and is usually apparent at birth. It is a type of neural tube defect (NTD). Spina bifida can happen anywhere along the spine if the neural tube does not close all the way.
What causes spina bifida?
Doctors aren’t certain what causes spina bifida. It’s thought to result from a combination of genetic, nutritional and environmental risk factors, such as a family history of neural tube defects and folate (vitamin B-9) deficiency.
What is spina bifida and how can it be avoided?
How can you prevent it? Spina bifida is best prevented by taking 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day. Studies have shown that if all women who could become pregnant were to take a multivitamin with the B-vitamin folic acid, the risk of neural tube defects could be reduced by up to 70%.
Is spina bifida a disability?
Spina bifida might cause physical and intellectual disabilities that range from mild to severe. The severity depends on: the size and location of the opening in the spine. whether part of the spinal cord and nerves are affected.
How can spina bifida be corrected?
Currently, there is no cure for spina bifida, but there are a number of treatments available to help manage the disease and prevent complications. In some cases, if diagnosed before birth, the baby can undergo surgery while still in the womb in an effort to repair or minimize the spinal defect.
When is spina bifida picked up?
Spina bifida is often detected during the mid-pregnancy anomaly scan, which is offered to all pregnant women between 18 and 21 weeks of pregnancy. If tests confirm that your baby has spina bifida, the implications will be discussed with you.
Can spina bifida be treated?
Does spina bifida affect the brain?
Many babies born with spina bifida get hydrocephalus (often called water on the brain). This means that there is extra fluid in and around the brain. The extra fluid can cause the spaces in the brain, called ventricles, to become too large and the head can swell.
What do you need to know about spina bifida?
Spina bifida is not death sentence. Listen,if you’d told me this during my 20-week ultrasound as I sat on the table in disbelief listening to the doctor unleash
What is the most serious form of spina bifida?
The child has no neurological problems. Myelomeningocele is the most severe form of spina bifida, occurring nearly once for every 1,000 live births. For infants born with a myelomeningocele, the spinal cord does not form properly and a portion of the undeveloped cord protrudes through the back.
What effects does spina bifida have on people?
In forms of spina bifida with an open spinal defect, spina bifida can have a severe impact on both the body and mind. The following are just a few of the effects of spina bifida: – Paralysis: Based on degree of nerve damage, even the less severe types of spina bifida can lead to some amount of paralysis.
What are the different types of spina bifida?
Myelomeningocele. This is the most common and serious type of spina bifida. It involves a sack outside the opening in the baby’s back somewhere on the spine.