Fetal surgery spares babies from spine defect


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LOS ANGELES ? Pregnant women were afraid to have it. Doctors were afraid to do it. Hospitals stopped performing the surgery because the U.S. government wanted evidence it was safe and worth doing.

Now, a landmark study shows that an operation to fix a hole in the spine while the fetus is still in the womb leads to better outcomes for children with spina bifida. The operation showed such a clear benefit over waiting until the infant is born that the study was stopped early.

"This is the first hope for spina bifida fetuses," said lead researcher Dr. Scott Adzick of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, one of three places that participated in the study.

Doctors started experimenting with fetal surgery for spina bifida in the mid-1990s, cutting into the mother's abdomen and uterus to close the gap in the spine. It even became part of the abortion debate when a photo of a tiny hand poking out of a womb during surgery was published.

The government-funded study showed that babies who have the operation in the womb were more likely to walk without help and less likely to need a tube to drain fluid buildup in the brain. Fetal surgery did come with some risks, however, including a higher chance of being born premature and complications for the mother.

Spina bifida ? which means split spine ? happens when the spine doesn't develop properly. In the most severe cases, the spinal cord sticks out through an opening in the spine. Children often are paralyzed or have weakness below the waist and many need crutches or a wheelchair. They also suffer from incontinence and fluid buildup in the brain.

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The government-funded study showed that babies who have the operation in the womb were more likely to walk without help and less likely to need a tube to drain fluid buildup in the brain. Fetal surgery did come with some risks, however, including a higher chance of being born premature and complications for the mother.

So surgery may be good for the fetus but can be bad for the mothers? Is it worth the risks?

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So surgery may be good for the fetus but can be bad for the mothers? Is it worth the risks?

I bet 99.999999% of women would say yes.

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