Spinal Dysraphisms
Spinal Dysraphism describes different conditions that affect a baby's spinal cord, spine or nerve roots, where the spinal cord or spine doesn't form properly during pregnancy.
Overview
Spinal Dysraphism describes different conditions that affect a baby's spinal cord, spine or nerve roots. In this condition, the spinal cord or spine doesn't form properly during pregnancy, which can include both visible and invisible incomplete formations. In some cases, the incomplete formation may be visible on the skin's surface but it might not be visible in other cases.
Occurrence and Diagnosis
It's a rare condition, which is slightly more common in females than males. Development of spinal dysraphisms can be traced to early stages of the pregnancy, when a section of neural tube that's supposed to develop into the spine and spinal cord doesn't close completely. Depending on the type of spinal dysraphism, the diagnosis of the specific condition can vary in a patient's lifetime. For example, a severe type of dysraphism is Myelomeningocele, which is diagnosed before birth using ultrasound.
Causes and Prevention
Causes of this condition are understood to be both genetic and environmental. Higher focus on maternal nutrition during pregnancy, with particular focus on folate, is understood to work against some forms of this condition.