About five-percent of all Iowans are born with the condition called spina bifida, a congenital disorder where there’s incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord. October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month. Carlyn Crowe, executive director of the Spina Bifida Association of Iowa, says they hope to educate people about the condition, while also raising funding.
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In addition to education, Crowe says the mission of the organization is to help families with infants who are impacted by this birth defect.
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Crowe says it’s not clear exactly what causes spina bifida, but it’s believed to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Learn more at: www.sbaofia.org