Prognosis
Persons with spina bifida can expect to live a normal life aided by assistive devices, such as, a wheelchair for mobility. Individuals often experi- ence problems transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. Over protective parents can discourage the level of independency needed for adult life. There is little data on the current life expectancy of persons with spina bifida.
Before the introduc- tion of shunts in the 1950’s individuals rarely lived beyond a few years. Now, with the wide spread use of shunt technology, individuals can expect to live decades into adulthood. The life expectancy of persons with spina bifida lengthens every year as more and more recipients of shunt and other medical/surgical technology age.
Prevention
Research efforts around the world have discovered that folic acid, a common B vitamin, can prevent up to 70 percent of neural tube defects including
spina bifida. In its natural form, folate, is found in orange juice, leafy green vegetables, beans and other foods.
In a public health effort, the United States Food and Drug Administration ordered all cereal grain products (wheat and corn flour) sold in the United
States after October 1, 1998, to be fortified with folic acid (the synthetic form of folate). This action has increased the amount of folate con- sumed by the general population and reduced the occurrence of spina bifida by 31 percent (as compared to prefortification figures).