SALT LAKE CITY — Doctors at Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital said a new, less invasive, fetal surgery procedure is helping treat spina bifida while babies are still in the womb — improving long-term outcomes for children and lowering risks for mothers.
Spina bifida is a congenital birth defect that occurs when a baby’s spinal column does not close completely early in pregnancy. It can lead to lifelong mobility challenges and, in some cases, serious complications involving the brain.
For nearly four years, specialists at the Grant Scott Bonham Fetal Center at Intermountain Primary Children’s have performed open fetal surgery to repair spina bifida. That method required a larger incision on the uterus…