Myelomeningocele

Myelomeningocele is a congenital disorder characterized by incomplete closure of the spinal canal and the spinal column before birth. The spinal cord, spinal nerves, and meninges are protected by the joining of the two sides of the spine (or backbone) during the first month of pregnancy (the tissues covering the spinal cord). The neural tube is the embryonic brain and spinal cord. The term “NTD” is used to describe a group of birth defects in which the spinal neural tube does not shut normally.

Myelomeningocele is a neural tube defect (NTD) characterized by incomplete development of the spinal column. Because of this, the spinal canal is compromised. Both the spinal cord and the meninges are visible on the child’s back.