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Background: Prenatal surgery for spina bifida is an experimental procedure that places both the mother and fetus at risk for complications due to prematurity and Caesarian section. In the absence of proven long-term medical benefit, the prenatal surgery remains controversial. However, analogous to the case of organ donors, this surgery has potential psychological benefits. This study is the first to compare the psychological status of mothers who underwent the prenatal procedure to mothers whose children had postnatal repair. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to mothers who gave birth to children with spina bifida between April 1997 and November 2000. The participants included 100 mothers whose children had postnatal repair and are followed at six Spina Bifida Clinics and 42 mothers whose children had the prenatal repair procedure at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The questionnaire consisted of four parts: child and family demographics, Maternal Adjustment and Maternal Attitudes (MAMA) questionnaire, Questionnaire on Resources and Stress Short Form (QRS-F), and a support measure. Results: The study revealed no difference in maternal adjustment between the two cohorts, but significantly higher levels of support were present in the prenatal cohort (p |
