On General Hospital, CarSon just learned that their unborn baby has spina bifida. The parents to be were understandably taken aback, and viewers will no doubt learn more about this condition in the coming days and months.
Just what is spina bifida? The condition affects the spine and occurs when the backbone or neural tube does not completely close. As a result, the spinal cord does not form normally, and subsequently, it is vulnerable to damage. Even so, with the right care, most people affected by spina bifida lead full and productive lives.
CarSon’s doctor did not go into great detail about what spina bifida entails, but she did say that symptoms could range from mild to severe.
The extent of an individual’s intellectual and physical disabilities depends on how compromised the spinal cord and nerves are.
While CarSon learned that their unborn child has spina bifida, the condition can go undiagnosed until after a baby is born. Because this condition affects each person uniquely and to varying degrees, treatment, if necessary, can vary widely.
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Carly asked her doctor if there was anything she did to cause this issue. The doctor assured her that she did nothing wrong.
It is interesting to note that individuals with preexisting conditions such as diabetes are urged to consult with their doctor prior to pregnancy as some medical conditions can complicate pregnancy.
In what may or may not be a coincidence, Carly’s mother Bobbie (Jacklyn Zeman) was diagnosed with diabetes within the same time frame that CarSon got their diagnosis.
It seems curious that two significant medical conditions would be diagnosed almost simultaneously on General Hospital. Both Bobbie and Carly are core characters, and these serious diagnoses would seem to merit more than a passing mention.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility to think that the writers are crafting an intertwined story for the Spencer women. If so, there is no doubt that drama and emotion will play major roles as the story unfolds.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC.