The Cause

Spina Bifida is the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the United States. It occurs when the spine of the baby fails to close during the first month of pregnancy. This creates an opening, or lesion, on the spinal column. The lesion is surgically closed within 24 hours after the baby is born.

No two cases of Spina Bifida are ever the same.

Up to 90 percent of children with the most severe form of Spina Bifida have hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) and a permanent shunt must be surgically inserted to drain the fluid. Multiple surgeries are often necessary to adjust the shunt as the child grows.

Other complications include full or partial paralysis, bladder and bowel control difficulties, learning disabilities, depression, deadly latex allergy, and social issues.

An average of eight babies with Spina Bifida are born every day in the United States. More than 70,000 men, women, adolescents, and children across the nation live with the challenges of this complex condition.

Hope Through Prevention

A healthy start is the birthright of every child. There is no cure for Spina Bifida, but there is hope through prevention.

By simply taking 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before they become pregnant, women can reduce the risk of having a baby with Spina Bifida by 70 percent.

There are 65 million women of childbearing age in the United States. All are at risk of a Spina Bifida pregnancy, but too few know the importance of taking folic acid.

About the Organizations

The Spina Bifida Association (SBA) serves the over 70,000 adults and children who live with Spina Bifida and works to prevent new cases.

Since 1973, SBA has served as the nation's only voluntary health agency dedicated to enhancing the lives of those with Spina Bifida and the more than 250,000 people whose lives they touch.

SBA's programs give hope and strength to those facing the challenges of Spina Bifida. Because of SBA, parents of children are empowered with information and receive much-needed comfort, teens transition into newfound independence, and adults lead productive and fulfilling lives.

In 1999, a group of corporate, union and community leaders from across the country saw that there was a need for increased awareness of Spina Bifida and its prevention and formed the Spina Bifida Foundation (SBF).

With a focus on prevention and alleviating the health complications associated with Spina Bifida, supporting those who live with the challenges of this neural tube defect and preventing the occurrence of Spina Bifida, the SBF has been an active partner of SBA and a visible force on many important fronts.