Hope_For_Spina_Bifida_Babies

Hope For Spina Bifida Babies Hope for Spina Bifida Babies Most people take certain tasks for granted such as walking up a flight of stairs, using the bathroom, typing on a computer, and engaging in sexual intercourse. Children born with spina bifida do not have that luxury, they have to literally fight for their lives from the moment of conception. For many parents, the prospect of having a child with spina bifida is too much to cope with. “Spina Bifida occurs in one of every 2000 livebirths and can lead to lifelong and devastating physical disabilities including paraplegia, hydrocephalus, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, skeletal deformations, and mental impairment” (Cope A J. 81-83). Thanks to the advancement in technology, fetal surgery (performed prior to birth of the baby) is a new option in lessening the effects of the defect. Fetal surgery can reverse some effects of the spinal birth defect, and ultimately reduce hydrocephalus and other serious problems associated with it; therefore, improving the quality of life for children born with spina bifida. Spina bifida, is a congenital defect in which part of the spinal column is exposed. The spine does not develop properly, leaving the spine exposed and vulnerable to injury in spina, bifida, surgery, fetal, defect, children, spinal, birth, cord, born, states, qtd, fetus, damage, brain, a01, procedure, pregnancy, oakie, child, 1999, new, mother, diagnosis, bruner, been, associated, womb, spine, shunts, risk, problems, prenatal, performed, medical