How to diagnose spina bifida in newborns

Spina bifida is a very serious disease. Part of the spine of patients with spina bifida has not been fused, which often leads to spinal nerve malformations. Severe children may even suffer from urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence. This phenomenon requires timely diagnosis and gradual treatment with the correct method.

Spina bifida is a common congenital neural tube defect in which part of the spinal canal does not close completely. Spina bifida is more likely to occur in babies in autumn and winter, and the incidence rate in rural babies is also higher than in urban babies. It is generally believed that spina bifida in newborns is caused by genetic factors, which is mainly manifested in embryonic development and caused by uneven closure of the spinal canal.

According to monitoring data from 1986-1987, the incidence of neural tube defects in my country is about 2.74‰, and is higher in the north than in the south, and higher in rural areas than in cities. The incidence is higher in babies born in autumn and winter than in those born in spring and summer. The male-to-female ratio of spina bifida is 0.6-0.9:1. The clinical manifestations are related to the degree of involvement of the spinal cord and spinal nerves. If the spinal cord and spinal nerves are involved, neurological symptoms such as lower limb paralysis and incontinence may occur.

At the third week of the embryonic period, the neural folds on both sides fuse toward the dorsal midline to form the neural tube, which starts from the middle (equivalent to the thoracic segment), then develops to the upper and lower ends, and closes at the fourth week. After the neural tube is formed, it gradually separates from the epidermis and moves deeper. Gradually, brain vesicles form at the head end of the tube, and the rest of the tube develops into the spinal cord.