Spina bifida is one of the most common birth defects of the central nervous system. Early in fetal development, the bones of the spine do not completely form, resulting in an incomplete spinal canal.

This causes the spinal cord and meniges (the tissue that covers the spinal cord) to be exposed on the child’s back. While the cause of spina bifida is not known, folic acid deficiency is thought to play a role.

Spina bifida most commonly occurs in three forms:  spina bifida occulta, meningoceles and meningomyelocele. Of these three, meningomyelocele is the most common and the most serious.

Children born with spina bifida can live very full and healthy lives, but it is important to have a team of specialists to care for these children.