Prenatal surgery for spina bifida may get a boost from stem cells

The treatment seeks to repair fetal spines and heal damage done in the womb

A black-and-white ultrasound image of a baby in the womb.

Proper spine development in a fetus (shown here) isn’t guaranteed. In spina bifida, the spine and spinal cord don’t form correctly, which can result in disabilities. A new kind of fetal surgery attempts to repair the defect and damage done in the womb.

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For the first time, doctors have used stem cells to try and repair the spinal cords of human fetuses in the womb.