Spina bifida is a neural tube defect that affects the spine and spinal cord. Symptoms range from mild to severe and may require surgery. Spina bifida can range from being mild to causing serious disabilities.

Understanding the Context

Symptoms depend on where on the spine the opening is located and how big it is. Symptoms also depend on whether the spinal cord and nerves are involved. When necessary, early treatment for spina bifida involves surgery. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, meningocele and myelomeningocele.

Key Insights

[1] Meningocele and myelomeningocele may be grouped as spina bifida cystica. [11] The most common location is the lower back, but in rare cases it may be in the middle back or neck. [12] Learn about health issues for people living with spina bifida. Health issues and treatments for people with spina bifida will be different for each person. Find information on spina bifida so that you can make the best possible health care choices.

Final Thoughts

Spina bifida is the most common of a group of birth defects known as neural tube defects, which affect the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Spina bifida begins in the womb, when the tissues that fold to form the neural tube do not close or do not stay closed completely. Spina bifida is a group of congenital conditions involving the failure of normal development of the spinal cord and vertebrae. There are three main types of spina bifida, the most severe being myelomeningocele and the most mild being spina bifida occulta. Approximately 166,000 individuals in the United States have Spina Bifida. It’s a type of neural tube defect (NTD) that occurs when a baby’s neural tube fails to develop or close properly – the literal meaning for Spina Bifida is “split spine.” Several types of spina bifida can affect an infant’s spine.

Find out more about them as well as the symptoms, causes, and treatments.