03/02/2026 | DGRJ Editorial Staff | Diário da Guanabara

https://dgrj.com.br/brasil/saude/avanco-nos-eua-promete-novo-tratamento-para-espinha-bifida-com-celulas-tronco 

Innovative fetal therapy shows promising results in spinal cord recovery in babies with myelomeningocele.

Researchers in the United States have announced important progress in the treatment of open spina bifida, a serious congenital malformation that affects the closure of the spinal column and spinal canal during gestation.

The condition, called myelomeningocele, can impair the baby's movements and bladder and bowel control, as well as being linked to excessive fluid accumulation in the brain.

Traditionally, spina bifida is corrected through fetal surgery, but about 60% of newborns continue to face difficulties walking or moving independently.

The new approach, developed by fetal and neonatal surgeon Diana Farmer of the University of California, uses placental stem cells and has shown promising results: all treated babies were born without complications and showed signs of spinal cord recovery. The findings were published in The Lancet on Saturday (February 28).

Before human trials, the technique was applied to sheep with spina bifida, and all animals treated with stem cells were able to walk and stand, unlike the group that underwent only conventional surgery.

Subsequently, six pregnant women received the therapy between the 24th and 25th weeks of gestation, and the babies were born around the 34th week without infections, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, or signs of tumor growth. Posterior fossa herniation, which blocks the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, also showed signs of reversal.

“This is an important step towards a new type of fetal therapy that not only repairs but can also help heal and protect the developing spinal cord,” highlighted study co-author Aijun Wang.

Despite the encouraging results, the researchers emphasize that larger studies and long-term follow-up will be necessary, including observation of the children until they are two years old, when they learn to walk.

The team has already received authorization to expand the clinical research to 29 participants, reinforcing the promising potential of prenatal cell and gene therapies.