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First of all, let’s talk about what spina bifida is. Spina bifida occurs some time during weeks three and four of a pregnancy and is caused when the fetal spinal cord does not close properly. This causes the spinal cord to be exposed in the back when the child is born. There are both genetic and environmental causes for spina bifida, but it should be noted that about 95 percent of babies who are born with this condition have no history of it in their family. One factor that contributes to this defect is the mother not having enough folic acid during pregnancy. This can be minimized by women in child-bearing years taking a prenatal vitamin that contains 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Folic acid is needed so early in the pregnancy to prevent the defect and many women do not know they’re pregnant until after this period has passed. By taking a prenatal vitamin, women will have the folic acid just in case.
Spina bifida can be detected during an ultra sound that is performed around 20 weeks gestation. Spina bifida also often leads to a second condition called hydrocephalus, which basically means that fluid builds up in the brain which can cause pressure. These children need to have a shunt surgically installed to drain this fluid. This shunt will be needed throughout the person’s entire life and will need to be replaced many times.
For parents who have children with spina bifida, and especially parents whose child has not been born yet but has already been diagnosed, the first thing you’ll want to do is learn, learn, and learn. The one realization that parents needs to make is that they are not alone, there are many communities, support groups, and home care options available to make both the parent and the child live a relatively normal life. There are chapters for the Spina Bifida Association in each state. Find your local chapter and find out what resources are available to help you. There are also online groups for parents of children with spina bifida. Seeking out advice from other parents who have gone through what you’re going through will help. Get some books on the subject, such as Children with Spina Bifida: A Parent’s Guide or other similar books.