The neural tube of the fetus - what is it and how is it formed?

When the future mother finds out that she is pregnant, her life takes a completely different meaning. Now you need to take care not only about yourself, but also a small lump that already lives under your heart. The first thing a woman should do is to register with a good specialist, whom she trusts to be sure of the normal course of pregnancy.

Of course, young parents least want to think that their child can develop incorrectly. But if all the same problems were discovered, do not despair. Collect all your will into a fist and do everything possible to make the child born healthy.

The neural tube of the fetus - what is it?

Many future mothers who only learn the joyful news of pregnancy, rush to study all available literature about the upcoming birth. That's when they get an eye on the information that on the 19-22 day from conception the neural tube of the fetus is already beginning to form. What it is? After all, an adult person does not have such an organ. The answer is simple: the fetal neural tube is the primary form of the development of the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. Open nerve felling is a platform for the formation of the anterior, middle and posterior bladder.

Scary diseases that are not compatible with life

As we understand, one of the most important stages of the birth of life, occurring during pregnancy, is the formation of the neural tube, from which the baby's brain and spinal cord will soon develop. But sometimes it happens that the process of closing the upper section is broken, resulting in the development of anencephaly (the absence of the brain in the fetus). If there are violations in closing the lower part of the neural tube, there is a spinal hernia. Unfortunately, both these pathologies are not compatible with life, but they are very rare. Statistics confirm that such a disease affects one fruit from a thousand.

Sometimes there are situations when the neural tube in the fetus begins to develop incorrectly. What does this mean and should I worry about this?

What are the defects of the neural tube?

Defects in the development of the neural tube are a number of individual defects that can develop in the fetus. Fortunately, such deviations are quite rare.

It is important to understand that the pathology of the neural tube of the fetus is not a modern disease that is caused by the present conditions of a person's life. As confirmed by records of paleontologists who conducted relevant studies, defects in the development of the spinal cord or brain (this confirms the incorrect development of the skull and ridge) were found in the remains of a man who lived 7,000 years ago.

The first mention in the scientific medical works on the basis of which, it can be said, neurosurgery began to develop, were noted in the writings of Hippocrates. The Italian anatomist Morgagni Batista, perhaps, was one of the first to give approximate descriptions of neural tube defects. Of course, such pathologies were not subject to treatment at that time, because the medicine was still at a very low level of development.

The reasons for the development of such problems

Unfortunately, sometimes there is a defective neural tube in the fetus. What is this pathology and what is it caused by? Let's find out the reasons for the deviation from the norm.

So, on the 19-20th day after conception, a specific plate is formed in each fetus - the very first form of development of the human nervous system. On the 20-22 day, it should begin to close, resulting in the formation of a neural tube in the fetus. The fact that everything goes according to plan, confirms the absence of pathologies of the nervous system in the child who will be born. If, on day 23 of conception, the nerve plate does not fully fit into the tube, the fetus will develop problems with the spine. This may result in increased pressure of the spinal cord, which was observed in the first trimester of pregnancy.

One of the most common causes of such pathologies are viral infections, radiation received by the future matter, which is cancer-prone, as well as environmental factors. But more often such deviations occur in pregnant women who also had a neural tube defect. A high risk generates genetic inheritance.

External factors that may become the root cause of defect development

Yes, the genetic predisposition to such a defect significantly increases the risk of its occurrence. But today, a very frequent reason for the development of such a pathology doctors consider radiation (the future mother can receive radiation exposure not only during treatment, but also simply during her residence on the territory contaminated with radionuclides). Pesticides, petroleum products and various synthetic fertilizers also cause the neural tube in the fetus to develop poorly.

To date, it is known to many that it is very dangerous for human life to use genetically modified food. However, not everyone knows that if a future mother abuses such products, she increases the risk of developing a fatal pathology in her baby. Even a hot bath, which the woman takes in the beginning of pregnancy, can provoke the appearance of such a defect.

Unbalanced nutrition of the mother doctors are also attributed to the underlying causes of neural tube defect development. A woman should be treated with special attention to herself throughout her pregnancy. In the case when several of the above factors are found in the life of the expectant mother, it is worthwhile to be prepared for the fact that the pregnant woman will be included in the high-risk group for the birth of a child who will have a neural tube defect.

Is it true that mammies with an increased body weight increase the risk of a neural tube defect?

Not so long ago, the results of studies have become known, according to which it is confirmed that in women who are overweight during pregnancy, the risk of developing a neural tube defect in a fetus is two times higher than in women with a small body weight. It is interesting that in future mothers, whose weight is not sufficient, such a trend was not observed.

The data were formed on the basis of the case histories of women in California, who had a neural tube defect in the fetus. The cases from 1989 to 1991 were taken into account. The results of this study showed that in women with overweight, the risk of developing a disease increases 2.1 times. But, interestingly, these data are not affected in any way by an increase in the intake of folic acid, a lack of which is considered one of the reasons for the development of neural tube pathologies in the fetus.

What happens to the fetus when he has a similar disorder?

In order to understand how the defect of the neural tube develops in the fetus, one must at least in general terms understand what the process of embryogenesis is.

So, the first week of pregnancy is completed by the formation of embryonic nodes. The second is the period of the formation of the axial organs in the fetus, when the extra-germinal parts are actively developing. As already mentioned, the third week is the time when a neural tube is formed from a special plate. The first three weeks are the period of primary neurulation. Secondary also falls for a period of 4-7 weeks from the moment of conception.

Already in this period of time there may be violations, that is, spinal dysraphia. The pathology of the neural tube of the fetus, which passes into the developmental lesions of the lumbosacral section of the future spine, can occur only in the period of secondary neurulation. Now it becomes clear that the wrong development of the neural tube in the fetus begins from the first weeks of pregnancy, which is why the treatment of such diseases occurs in the form of preventing the development of serious defects. Thus, therapy should begin before the onset of pregnancy and continue during the first weeks of bearing the fetus.

The defects of neural tube development have their own symptoms

As with any disease or violation of proper development, defective neural tube formation in the fetus has its own symptomatology.

To the features of spinal dysraphia, modern medicine includes the following concepts:

• Latent spina bifida: a similar defect is most often located in the lumbosacral region. It is quite dangerous, because he simply does not have clinical symptoms. Such a pathology is discovered absolutely by accident, for example, after radiography of the spine. There are no special changes in the skin, occasionally there are pigment spots or adipose. Such a hidden cleft is nothing more than a poorly closed arch of one of the vertebrae. Such a disease has a number of consequences, including night incontinence, significant disturbance of correct posture, weakness of leg muscles , pain in the lumbar region and even deformation of the feet. That is why it is so important to track whether the neural tube is properly formed in the fetus.
• Cystic cleavage of the open type: they are also called true spinal hernias. They can manifest in the form of a partial protrusion of the dura mater. The contents of such hernias is the cerebrospinal fluid, that is, the cerebrospinal fluid. This serious pathological process can extend to two or three vertebrae. Many people who were born with such a defect have lived a long and happy life. Surgical intervention in such cases, practitioners are recommended to use only when there is a spurt of true spinal hernia. If a similar bone defect captures 3-5 vertebrae, then patients will already have muscle weakness and urinary incontinence. But, unfortunately, the most common is a disorder that seizes 6-8 vertebrae. The skin on such a hernia is too thin, and through it the sheet of the pialic membrane is visible. This is a very severe form of the defect, which often results in the rupture of the hernial sac and the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid.
• The extreme degree of malformation is the non-spinal cord and soft tissue, which is accompanied by an inferior formation of the spinal cord. Such a defect with life is almost incompatible.

Interesting is the fact that the location of such hernias is in 90% of cases falls on the lumbar region, and very rarely it is observed in the thoracic or cervical region. This state of affairs explains that if a defect develops in a fetus, then pregnancy is most often injected by spontaneous abortion (miscarriage). Such embryos simply die, because their further formation is almost impossible.

How to diagnose a defect or pathology of the neural tube?

You can see the defect of the neural tube on ultrasound only in the third trimester of pregnancy. But before there is still a lot of chances to discover a similar pathology.

To begin with, as already mentioned, it is necessary to perform a preliminary diagnosis, which is recommended even during the planning of future pregnancies. You should also visit an obstetrician-gynecologist, urologist and geneticist. If possible, it is worth to pass tests that will show the level of risk of having a baby with a defect in neural tube development. In addition, it is recommended to read a lot of special literature. This will help to understand what the fetus's neural tube is, and also will allow you to study all the recommendations of specialists that will help you in the future.

After conception, you can not do without a monthly inspection from an obstetrician. The second trimester of pregnancy should necessarily be accompanied by a regular blood test of the future mother. It is already possible to conduct an ultrasound examination of the fetus. Do not hesitate to ask a specialist about the condition of the baby, especially if you are in a group of women with an increased risk of developing a pathology of the neural tube.

In the third trimester, it is already possible to see through the ultrasound the congenital malformation of the fetus, which arose as a result of the wrong formation of the neural tube. Photo of the fetus in the womb can also be shown to another specialist to confirm the diagnosis.

If the defect of neural tube formation has been confirmed at one of the stages, this is a serious reason for raising the issue of abortion. However, first you need to know the extent of the violation, because with some of its forms a completely normal life is possible. To date, the wrong formation of the neural tube, which is expressed in the development of deformity in the fetus, can be corrected by surgical intervention. Additional diagnosis is mandatory after you have been given a similar diagnosis, because abortion is already the last option.

Treatment of neural tube defects

Therapy of problems that have arisen due to the fact that the formation of the neural tube has been disrupted can be started immediately after the birth of the child. As soon as doctors eliminate all threats to the life of the baby, that is, they will restore independent breathing and check the temperature of the newborn's body, the surface of the hernia should immediately be treated with disinfectant solutions and covered with sterile napkins. After the conversation with the parents, if they agree to a surgical intervention, the inmate is transferred to the neurosurgical department, where they conduct all the necessary studies, because without them the operation will not be successful.

If there is a threat of rupture of the hernia, excision is carried out immediately. Otherwise, you can wait a little while the child gets stronger. Such a decision is justified by the fact that gaps are "open gates" for any type of infection. Often after removal of hernias, purulent-inflammatory processes are observed. According to statistics, approximately 78% of small patients experienced similar complications. It should be noted that already a day after the operation, the health of children is normalized. However, 5% of children still remain under threat.

Also important is the fact that if you perform a similar operation in a newborn, you can completely restore the integrity of the meninges. That is, the child after the operation will develop absolutely normal, and his usual full life will wait for him. It is necessary to understand that preliminary studies before the operation are carried out very quickly. They do only the most necessary tests to save the child and not allow him to remain disabled for life. It is important to take the postoperative period seriously. For rehabilitation to take place easily and without complications, all the recommendations of the attending physician should be strictly observed.