MOMS trial
Management of myelomeningocele study (MOMS) was a phase III clinical trial designed to compare two approaches to the treatment of spina bifida: surgery before birth and surgery after birth.The trial concluded that the outcomes after prenatal spina bifida treatment are improved to the degree that the benefits of the surgery outweigh the maternal risks. This conclusion requires a value judgment on the relative value of fetal and maternal outcomes on which opinion is still divided.To be specific, the study found that prenatal repair resulted in:

Reversal of the hindbrain herniation component of the Chiari II malformation
Reduced need for ventricular shunting (a procedure in which a thin tube is introduced into the brains ventricles to drain fluid and relieve hydrocephalus)
Reduced incidence or severity of potentially devastating neurologic effects caused by the spines exposure to amniotic fluid, such as impaired motor function
At one year of age, 40 percent of the children in the prenatal surgery group had received a shunt, compared to 83 percent of the children in the postnatal group. During pregnancy, all the fetuses in the trial had hindbrain herniation. However, at age 12 months, one-third (36 percent) of the infants in the prenatal surgery group no longer had any evidence of hindbrain herniation, compared to only 4 percent in the postnatal surgery group. Further surveillance is ongoing. Fetoscopic surgery
In contrast to the open fetal operative approach performed in the MOMS trial, a minimally invasive fetoscopic approach (akin to keyhole surgery) has been developed.
The exposure of these nerves and tissues make the baby more prone to life-threatening infections such as meningitis.The protruding portion of the spinal cord and the nerves that originate at that level of the cord are damaged or not properly developed. As a result, there is usually some degree of paralysis and loss of sensation below the level of the spinal cord defect. Thus, the more cranial the level of the defect, the more severe the associated nerve dysfunction and resultant paralysis may be. Symptoms may include ambulatory problems, loss of sensation, deformities of the hips, knees or feet, and loss of muscle tone. Signs and symptoms
Physical problems
Physical signs of spina bifida may include:

Leg weakness and paralysis
Orthopedic abnormalities (i.e., club foot, hip dislocation, scoliosis)
Bladder and bowel control problems, including incontinence, urinary tract infections, and poor kidney function
Pressure sores and skin irritations
Abnormal eye movement68% of children with spina bifida have an allergy to latex, ranging from mild to life-threatening. The common use of latex in medical facilities makes this a particularly serious concern. The most common approach to avoid developing an allergy is to avoid contact with latex-containing products such as examination gloves and condoms and catheters that do not specify they are latex-free, and many other products, such as some commonly used by dentists.The spinal cord lesion or the scarring due to surgery may result in a tethered spinal cord.