From Prevention to Prenatal Surgery: Medical Breakthroughs Are Changing the Trajectory of Spina Bifida

Major medical advancements have transformed care for unborn babies with this diagnosis

Washington D.C.—A new peer-reviewed article by the Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) illustrates how over three decades of medical advancements in prenatal surgery for babies diagnosed with spina bifida have improved treatment while dramatically enhancing quality of life. These advancements also reflect a scientific shift toward recognizing and treating the unborn baby as a patient, in their own right.

Spina bifida is a serious congenital condition in which the unborn baby’s spinal column fails to close completely. This can cause a range of symptoms, including leg weakness or paralysis, mobility challenges, bladder and bowel difficulties, and even developmental and psychosocial difficulties. In the U.S., spina bifida affects almost four babies for every 10,000 live births.

Key data points:

• The U.S. prevents an estimated 1,300 spina bifida diagnoses every year because of folic acid supplementation.
• For families receiving a spina bifida diagnosis, advancements in prenatal surgery offer an effective, life-affirming option with survival rates of 95% or higher and improvements in mobility, independence, and overall quality of life.
• Because doctors are routinely treating babies in the womb, they are reinforcing a central principle of prenatal medicine: doctors must care for two patients, both the pregnant woman and her unborn baby.

Zachary Sluzala, Ph.D., lead author, director of Lozier Library and CLI research scholar, said:

“The advancements we have seen in the prenatal treatment of spina bifida, and its prevention in the first place, are remarkable. What was once a life-threatening condition can now be managed in utero. As a result, we see more affected children living higher-quality lives, walking independently, and even playing sports. Ongoing investigation into innovative approaches using robotic surgery, ethically sourced stem cells, and other tools give us hope that the advancements we’ve seen so far are only the beginning.”

Read the article here.

Charlotte Lozier Institute was launched in 2011 as the education and research arm of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. CLI is a hub for research and public policy analysis on some of the most pressing issues facing the United States and nations around the world. The Institute is named for a feminist physician known for her commitment to the sanctity of human life and equal career and educational opportunities for women.

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