New surgical tools aim to make womb surgery for spina bifida safer
NCT ID NCT05672849
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study is testing modified surgical instruments used during fetoscopic repair of neural tube defects (spina bifida) in unborn babies. Researchers want to see if these tools are safe and work as intended. The study will enroll 100 pregnant women who choose to have this fetal surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Modified surgical instruments (sheaths and irrigator)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could make fetal surgery for spina bifida safer and more effective, potentially improving outcomes for babies born with this condition.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage safety study with only 100 participants, so it may not prove the devices work better than standard tools. There are also inherent risks in fetal surgery, such as preterm labor or infection.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 100 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Nov 2022
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients who elect to undergo fetoscopic neural tube defect repair Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who do not elect to undergo fetoscopic neural tube defect repair
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Texas Childrens Hospital - Pavilion for Women
RECRUITINGHouston, Texas, 77030, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Does dolutegravir raise the risk of birth defects? eswatini study investigates
- Womb surgery breakthrough: two methods to fix spina bifida before birth
- Patch may boost fetal spina bifida repair, early trial hints
- Keyhole surgery in the womb could fix spina bifida with fewer risks
- Could adding folic acid to salt prevent birth defects in zambia?