It's a landmark in the controversial, 30-year-old field of fetal surgery: Surgeons are reporting success in treating a common, serious birth defect called spina bifida — before birth.
EnlargeCourtesy of Tara and Jake Hallman
Brett Hallman had a surgery — as a 25-week fetus — to treat his spina bifida. Now, he's an active first grader who enjoys swimming and other sports.
A new study, published online in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that repairing the most severe form of spina bifida during pregnancy can reduce the paralysis and brain damage that often result when the defect isn't corrected until after birth. NPR
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