Since prenatal surgery was first found in the 1980s, it's become an important way to correct certain birth defects that could be severe and in some cases fatal if babies were born with them unrepaired. Prenatal surgery most often is done to correct serious problems that can't wait to be fixed, like certain heart defects, urinary blockages, bowel obstructions, and airway malformations. Some of the greatest successes have come from correcting spina bifida (an often disabling spinal abnormality in which the two sides of the spine fail to join together, leaving an open area). As mentioned before, recent landmark study reports that kids with spina bifida who received fetal surgery typically are more likely to walk, less likely to have serious neurological problems, and less likely to need a shunt to drain brain …show more content…
To me, this defect is interesting because it has nothing to do with genetics, meaning it is not inherited. Also, it does not depend on what you did or did not do during your pregnancy. ABS is believed to be caused by entrapment of fetal parts in fibrous amniotic band while in the uterus. Medical professionals view ABS happening when the inner membrane ruptures; this exposes the baby to fibrous tissue (bands) from the ruptured inner membrane which can then float in the water of the uterus. These fibrous tissues can entangle the baby reducing blood supply and causing congenital abnormalities. In some cases a complete “natural” amputation of a digits or limb may occur before birth or the digits or limbs may be necrotic and require surgical amputation following birth. In this case, there are a couple treatment options. In my opinion, this is where prenatal surgery plays a huge