Doctors operate on the fetal spine while it is still in the womb

During a remarkable surgical procedure, British doctors repaired the spinal cord of an unborn child, still 24 weeks old, in the womb.

Successful fetal surgery

Bethan Simpson, 26, was 20 weeks pregnant when a routine examination detected an abnormality, which then led to the discovery of spina bifida in her unborn child, a condition in which the fetal spinal cord does not develop completely in the uterus.

Spina Bifida can have a devastating effect on the ability to walk, lead to incontinence and, in some cases, cause lasting brain damage. In the United Kingdom, in about 80% of cases, pregnancy is interrupted after diagnosis.

Mrs. Simpson opted for surgery instead.

SEE ALSO: A SURGERY TAKEN ON THE FETUS While the womb of the mother is on the outside of her body

Last December, an international team of doctors successfully performed a spinal cord repair operation on the 24-week-old child before returning it to Ms. Simpson's womb for the rest of the pregnancy.

This type of surgery consists of exposing the back of the fetus and positioning it so that surgeons have access to the affected area of ​​the spinal cord, which they can then attempt to repair and reposition if necessary to avoid further damage to the nerves.

It is only the fourth time that such an operation, lasting about four hours, is carried out in the United Kingdom. Belgian and British doctors performed at the University College Hospital in London in December. The baby is expected for April and the NHS has approved the operation for all parents starting at the end of the year.

"We had to do it"

In a publication on Facebook, Mrs. Simpson, a nurse from Burnham, Esbad, wrote: "Our midwife made an appointment with [after the 20-week scan] in London. 48 hours later, we were in London with scans on the head and spine.

"That said, we were told that our little girl had spina bifida. We have been suggested to continue the pregnancy, terminate the pregnancy or a new option called fetal surgery – repair it before birth. We had to do it.

"Our lives have been such a roller coaster for the next few weeks."

Dominic Thompson, the chief neurosurgeon of surgery, said: "Until now, when people had this devastating news, there were two options: continue pregnancy or terminate an abortion. This now offers a third option.

"It's not a cure. But in critical trials, it is clear that the outlook can be much better with early surgery.

For Simpson and her husband, Kieron, opting for surgery was obvious.

"[I] could not justify terminating a child I could kick with, "Simpson said.

Spina Bifida

Spina bifida, literally "spine fracture," occurs when the neural tube, the part of the fetus that develops in the brain and spinal cord, does not grow or close properly. The neural tube closes approximately four weeks after conception.

This leaves the delicate and vital nerves of the spine exposed and likely to be damaged.

The most severe cases of spina bifida can leave the spinal cbad of the infant exposed, creating a bag along the baby's back. In any case, surgeons can attempt to repair the opening of the spine after the baby is born, but in many cases, nerve damage has already occurred.

At present, it is unknown what causes spina bifida, which occurs in 4 out of every 10,000 pregnancies.