One of the more common birth defects, spina bifida results from an incorrectly formed spine that allows parts of spinal nerves to protrude out of place. The condition ranges in severity from the mild form, spina bifida occulta, to the rare yet severe, spina bifida manifesta.

When spina bifida is suspected, pediatric and neurosurgery specialists at Sutter perform a variety of safe and effective tests to check your newborn or unborn baby for the condition early into the pregnancy. If spina bifida is diagnosed, specialized care for mother and baby throughout the pregnancy is necessary and available through Sutter Women's Services and Sutter Children's Services, which may include surgical treatment of the condition while the baby is still in the womb.

If a baby is born with spina bifida requiring treatment, Sutter offers an experienced, multidisciplinary team of pediatric and neurological surgeons and specialists through Sutter Children's Services and Sutter Neuroscience Institute. The combined skill of the team enables infants to receive immediate treatment to protect the nerves, and correct the condition to the extent possible.

Sutter Children's Services offers support and specialized care for the baby and family, including physical therapy for children from birth and assistive devices when necessary. In addition, Sutter's pediatric physical and occupational therapists provide education and training that enable children to develop to their maximum potential for living happy, healthy lives.

For more information, see our Healthwise health information section on birth defects testing and spina bifida. The Other Places To Get Help section of the Healthwise article offers additional resources for spina bifida information and support.

For more information on deformity conditions, select one of the following:

• Scoliosis
• Kyphosis
• Kyphoscoliosis
• Spina Bifida