Part-2: “Fetal Fix and the Indian Flux – My Narrative of Fetal Surgery for Spina Bifida and the Systemic Challenges in India”

In this reflective narrative, the author recounts her pioneering experience of establishing India’s first center dedicated to the fetal repair of open spina bifida at Bai Jerbai Wadia Children’s Hospital – a landmark step in the evolution of perinatal neurosurgery in the country. It delves into not only the medicolegal, ethical, and social challenges encountered along the way but also the limited awareness and diagnostic delays surrounding prenatal anomalies and Medical Termination of Pregnancy. Beyond the technical aspects discussed in Part-1, the author reiterates the humanized dimension of fetal repair and its potential to transform lives for babies once deemed nonviable, while also offering families hope in situations traditionally met with despair. She calls upon neurosurgeons, obstetricians, neonatologists, and allied specialists to recognize the moral and scientific imperative of giving these infants a chance at life. It emphasizes that interdisciplinary collaboration, societal education, and empathetic counseling are as vital as surgical expertise in realizing the promise of this transformative intervention. Ultimately, this work serves not only as a clinical milestone but also as a call to action – urging the medical community to expand the boundaries of fetal care and to view spina bifida not only as a reason for termination but also as a condition deserving of timely intervention, compassion, and life-affirming opportunity.