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Birth of a Breakthrough: Spina Bifida Video - CHOP

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Spina Bifida Care During Pregnancy

Post-surgery care for spina bifida during pregnancy is a challenging time for many families. Relocation to the Philadelphia area, weekly monitoring at CHOP, reduced activity and other factors are among the challenges of post-surgery care for spina bifida during pregnancy. Moms and their partners need a strong support network, including help from the team at CHOP, to help make it through this trying time – hopefully several months – until the baby is born. The mother and fetus are monitored closely through the post-surgery care to ensure the mother has no complications from the surgery, the fetus is developing normally, and to detect any potential complications.

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The Birth of a Breakthrough Video explores spina bifida diagnosis, treatment options, delivery and follow-up care at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Experts at CHOP’s Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment have the world’s greatest collective experience in prenatal repair for spina bifida.
 

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Transcript: Spina Bifida Care During Pregnancy


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N. Scott Adzick, MD: One of the things that we've learned from open fetal surgery, in general, and for fetal surgery repair of myelomeningocele, specifically, is that it is an enormous commitment not only on behalf of our institution, our team, but most importantly, on behalf of the family.

Lori J. Howell, RN: When we talk to a mother and offer fetal surgery as an option, we need to know that they can comply with the travel arrangements, that they can stay with us so that we can monitor the pregnancy after fetal surgery.

Mark P. Johnson, MD: Weekly monitoring is very important to pick up any signs of complications following the surgery because identification of any problems will require an immediate change in the management plan.

Natalie E. Rintoul, MD: Families that relocate here from far away, they need to get other family members to take care of siblings and the like. It's a big – it's a big commitment.

Lori J. Howell, RN: It's really difficult, and some families just can't do it. And that's OK. And for those that opt for a fetal surgery intervention, we're here to provide that support.

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