Spina Bifida News and Research

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Spina bifida is a neural tube defect that happens in the first month of pregnancy when the spinal column does not close completely. According to the Mayo Clinic, approximately one in every 2,000 children born in the U.S. is diagnosed with spina bifida. Risk factors include the presence of a neural tube defect in a previous child, lack of folic acid, some medications, diabetes and the mother's age. Most patients with spina bifida have neurogenic bladders. Neurogenic bladders function poorly and over time, without correction, can result in kidney damage and ultimately kidney failure.

Fires prey on frail residents living on their own

They were asleep when the fire reached their home. Charles Rippey, 100, and his wife, Sara, 98, had been married 75 years. They died together, after a caregiver struggled to save them but couldn't get them out in time.

13 Oct 2017

Study highlights association of obesity with fecal incontinence in spina bifida patients

In the November 2017 issue of Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, Dr. Charlène Brochard and her colleagues from a spina bifida referral center in Rennes, France, report on the frequency of intestinal problems in 26- to 45-year-old patients with spina bifida.

9 Oct 2017

Researchers discover promising alternative to open fetal surgery for spina bifida repair

Researchers from Children's Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus recently discovered a promising alternative to open fetal surgery for spina bifida repair.

5 Oct 2017

Novel mussel-inspired glue could one day save lives of youngest patients

Whether to perform surgery on a fetus is a heart-wrenching decision. This type of surgery involves penetrating the highly delicate amniotic sac, increasing health risks to the fetus.

21 Aug 2017

Survivors of childhood diseases struggle to find care as adults

Rachael Goldring was born with congenital heart disease. Had she been born a few decades earlier, she probably would have died as a baby. Now 24, Goldring is part of a population of patients who present new challenges to a health care system unaccustomed to dealing with survivors of once-fatal conditions.

22 Jun 2017

Honda gives $1 million gift to Nationwide Children’s Hospital to enhance pediatric mobility

Nationwide Children's Hospital and Honda announced today a $1 million gift from the automaker to establish the Honda Center for Gait Analysis and Mobility Enhancement designed to enhance pediatric mobility.

20 Jun 2017

Study finds link between common household chemicals and birth defects in mice

A new study at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech has found a connection between common household chemicals and birth defects.

16 Jun 2017

University of Rhode Island students redesign toy cars to benefit children with disabilities

Who doesn't remember the simple joy of zipping around the yard in a toy car? Every kid should have that experience, and thanks to Lil' Rhody Riders -; an ongoing student leadership project at the University of Rhode Island - they can.

16 Jun 2017

KU Leuven researchers identify vital role of TET1 protein in earliest stages of embryonic development

In the earliest stages of embryonic development, a protein known as TET1 may be the factor that tips the balance toward health or disease.

18 May 2017

Researchers pinpoint gene that plays crucial role in formation of neural tube defects

Researchers have identified a gene that plays a key role in the formation of neural tube defects, a problem commonly found in infants of pregnant women with diabetes.

5 May 2017

New study finds link between neural tube defects in infants and neurodegenerative diseases

A new study has found a link between neurological birth defects in infants commonly found in pregnant women with diabetes and several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.

10 Apr 2017

Researchers create first animal model of rare disease linked to problem of adrenal glands

The name of the gene is Armc5, for Armadillo repeat containing 5. Until now, its function was unknown. After 10 years of research, a team at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centrehas succeeded in deleting this gene in experimental mice and discovered that its loss gives rise to a heretofore unidentified syndrome.

7 Feb 2017

Researchers evaluate use of regenerative human umbilical cord for in-utero spina bifida repair

In a study to be presented Saturday, Jan. 28, in the oral concurrent session at 8:45 a.m. PST, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, researchers evaluated a possible regenerative patch by using human umbilical cord in two studies titled Cryopreserved Human Umbilical Cord (HUC) vs Acellular Dermal Matrix (ADM) for In-Utero Spina Bifida Repair and the study Conventional vs cryopreserved human umbilical cord (HUC) patch based on repair for in-utero spina bifida in a sheep model.

23 Jan 2017

Researchers evaluate effects of laser tissue welding on spina bifida repair

In a study to be presented Saturday, Jan. 28, in the oral concurrent session at 8:45 a.m. PST, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; IBEX, Logan, Utah; and Laser Tissue Welding Inc., Houston, Texas collaborated on a study titled, Evaluation of the effects of laser tissue welding on the spinal cord and skin in a 30 day study of simulated spina bifida repair in rabbits.

23 Jan 2017

Childhood obesity starts in the womb?

There is incontrovertible evidence that some harmful drugs and toxins can affect lifelong health. For example, if women take certain drugs in pregnancy, such as thalidomide, there are well documented effects on lifelong health. These have obvious and dramatic effects on the child...

11 Jan 2017

Folic acid supplements can reduce risk of having pregnancy affected by neural tube defects

Despite the mandatory addition of folic acid to enriched grain products in the United States, many women still do not consume adequate amounts of this important vitamin, according to an editorial written by Laura E. Mitchell, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health.

11 Jan 2017

Additional MRI scan during pregnancy could help accurately detect foetal abnormalities

An additional MRI scan during pregnancy could help to more accurately detect foetal abnormalities and give more certainty for parents whose 20-week ultrasound scan showed a potential problem, according to new research by scientists at the University of Sheffield.

15 Dec 2016

High folate intake may increase risk of peripheral neuropathy in older adults with common gene variant

Consuming too much folate (vitamin B9) is associated with increased risk for a nerve-damage disorder in older adults who have a common genetic variant.

12 Oct 2016

Adapta Medical receives FDA market clearance for touchless urinary catheter

Adapta Medical, Inc. has received FDA market release for the PerfIC Cath intermittent touchless urinary catheter. The sterile catheter system was designed by J. Glen House, MD, a C7 quadriplegic with limited finger dexterity.

7 Oct 2016

Researchers suggest need for human studies to examine effects of cannabinoid use during pregnancy

In this new era of legalized marijuana, far too little research has been conducted on the effect of cannabis on the development of human embryos, say researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center who scoured medical literature on the topic and found what they say is worrisome animal research.

30 Sep 2016