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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffSpina bifida may occasionally cause no symptoms or only minor physical disabilities. More frequently, it leads to severe physical and mental disabilities. Factors that affect the severity of complications include:
- The size and location of the neural tube defect
- Whether skin covers the affected area
- Which spinal nerves come out of the affected area of the spinal cord
Complications may include:
- Physical and neurological problems. This may include lack of normal bowel and bladder control and partial or complete paralysis of the legs. Children and adults with this form of spina bifida might need crutches, braces or wheelchairs to help them get around, depending on the size of the opening in the spine and the care received after birth.
- Hydrocephalus. Babies born with myelomeningocele also commonly experience accumulation of fluid in the brain, a condition known as hydrocephalus. Most babies with myelomeningocele will need a shunt — a surgically placed tube that allows fluid in the brain to drain as needed into the abdomen. This tube might be placed just after birth, during the surgery to close the sac on the lower back, or later as fluid accumulates.
- Meningitis. Some babies with myelomeningocele may develop meningitis, an infection in the tissues surrounding the brain. Meningitis may cause brain injury and can be life-threatening.
Other complications
Additional problems may arise as children with spina bifida get older. Children with myelomeningocele may develop learning disabilities, including difficulty paying attention, problems with language and reading comprehension, and trouble learning math. Children with spina bifida may also experience latex allergies, skin problems, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal disorders and depression.
- Spina bifida fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/spina_bifida/detail_spina_bifida.htm. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Spina bifida. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec19/ch292/ch292c.html. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Spina bifida, March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/4439_1224.asp. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Hochberg L. Prenatal screening and diagnosis of neural tube defects. http://www.uptodate.com/index/home.html. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Ask the doctor archive. Spina Bifida Association. http://www.spinabifidaassociation.org/site/c.liKWL7PLLrF/b.2738091/k.9A71/Risk_Factor.htm. Accessed Aug. 1, 2009.
- Cameron M, et al. Prenatal screening and diagnosis of neural tube defects. Prenatal Diagnosis. 2009;29:402.
- Routine tests in pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp133.cfm. Accessed Aug. 1, 2009.
- FAQs about folic acid. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/faqs.html. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Edwards MJ. Hyperthermia and fever during pregnancy. Birth Defects Research (Part A): Clinical and Molecular Teratology. 2006;76:507.
- Folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Rockville, Md.: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/150/9/626.pdf. Accessed Aug. 24, 2009.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 24, 2009.
