Diseases

Spina Bifida

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Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. They happen in the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. The two most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly. ... In anencephaly, most of the brain and skull do not develop.

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of spina bifida vary from person to person, depending on the type and level of involvement. Closed neural tube defects are often recognized or identified early in life due to an abnormal tuft or clump of hair or a small dimple or birthmark on the skin at the site of the spinal malformation.

CAUSES

Spina bifida is a form of birth defect known as a neural tube defect. Spina Bifidaresults from an incomplete formation of the brain, spinal cord, and/or meninges in an infant. ... While the exact cause of spina bifida is unknown, a deficiency of folic acid in the mother's diet has been linked to its development.