Is there fetal treatment for myelomeningocele?
There is fetal treatment available for a select group of patients at three medical centers in the United States: University of California San Francisco, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Vanderbilt University. Open fetal surgery is performed during the late second trimester. Some preliminary studies have shown prenatal intervention reversed hindbrain herniation, reduced the need for shunting and possibly improved neurologic function. Since the effectiveness of fetal treatment for myelomeningocele is not clear, these centers are actively participating in a randomized clinical trial called The Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) which will also look at long-term follow-up. This research study is comparing two methods of treatment for babies with spina bifida: fetal surgery before birth versus the standard surgical closure after birth. For more information please visit the MOMS trial website at: http://www.spinabifidamoms.com/english/index.html What is the postnatal treatme
