World Spina Bifida Awareness Day Spina bifida is a birth defect that develops in the early weeks of pregnancy when the spine does not form properly — often before a woman even knows she is pregnant. Early awareness, folic acid use before conception, and timely diagnosis can significantly reduce the risk and improve long-term outcomes. In children, spina bifida may present with symptoms such as weakness or paralysis in the legs, bladder or bowel control problems, fluid buildup in the brain (hydro