what birth defect has spinal cord wrapped around the spine?
Spina bifida is a birth defect that happens when a baby's backbone (spine) does not form normally. As a result, the spinal cord and the nerves that branch out of it may be damaged. The term spina bifida comes from Latin and literally means split or open spine. This defect happens at the end of the first month of pregnancy, when a baby's spine and spinal cord (a bundle of nerves that runs down the center of the spine) are developing.