Condition

Spina Bifida clinical trials and research

• 19Clinical trials
• 79NIH research projects
• 5Countries

Newest Spina Bifida clinical trials

All recruiting trials (19)

• Able Kids device: safer gait aid for kids with neurologic gait problems

  This study tests whether the ABLE Kids wearable exoskeleton can be safely used during a 10-session gait training program for children with neurological gait disorders or muscle weakness.

  Recruiting ABLE Human Motion S.L. · Girona, Girona · NCT07745712

• tSCS for improving leg strength and walking in kids with spina bifida

  This pilot test will try non-invasive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation to see if it helps improve leg muscle strength and walking in children with myelomeningocele who can walk a little with help.

  Recruiting University of Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · NCT07615686

• Bowel continence across life for people with spina bifida

  This project will test whether retrograde (through the anus) or antegrade (through a tube into the colon) enema programs work better to prevent bowel accidents and improve independence for people with spina bifida ages 5 and up who are starting or switching an enema program.

  Recruiting at 23 sites Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago · Birmingham, Alabama and 23 other locations · NCT07390318

• Pediatric Manual Mobile Standing Wheelchair: Preliminary Utility

  This study tests a new manual standing wheelchair for children aged 8-17 who use a manual chair and participate in standing programs to see if the device is practical and helpful.

  Recruiting Optimal Mobility, Inc · Saint Paul, Minnesota · NCT07290556

• Psychosocial teleassistance programme for adults with spina bifida

  This study tests a 10-week group telecare psychological program to see if it improves self-esteem, social skills, and overall psychological well-being in adults with spina bifida.

  Recruiting University of Deusto · Bilbao, Bizkaia · NCT07178873

• Intravesical oxybutynin for children with neurogenic bladder due to spina bifida

  We will test whether oxybutynin placed directly into the bladder helps children aged 6–17 with overactive neurogenic bladder from spina bifida.

  Recruiting Phase 3 Central Hospital, Nancy, France · Besançon and 18 other locations · NCT07027020

• Fetoscopic repair of neural tube defects

  This study looks at how well a special surgery done before birth can help babies with spina bifida and what happens to them after the procedure.

  Recruiting Oregon Health and Science University · Portland, Oregon · NCT06946563

• Autologous umbilical cord patch for closing open spinal defects after birth

  This trial tests whether using a newborn's own umbilical cord tissue to close the dura can improve repair in babies born with open neural tube defects.

  Recruiting The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston · Houston, Texas · NCT06929572

• Transcutaneous spinal stimulation for children and teens with spina bifida

  This study will try gentle, non-invasive electrical stimulation of the spinal cord to see if it can strengthen legs and improve movement in children and teens with spina bifida.

  Recruiting Mayo Clinic · Rochester, Minnesota · NCT06918119

• Digital versus traditional ankle-foot orthoses for people with lower limb weakness

  We will try if ankle-foot braces made with 3D scanning and printing work as well as traditional plaster-cast braces for people with leg weakness or stiffness from conditions like stroke or cerebral palsy.

  Recruiting Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital · Mississauga, Ontario and 1 other locations · NCT06828653

• Validation of a quality of life assessment for spina bifida in Dutch

  This study is testing a new questionnaire in Dutch to see how spina bifida affects the quality of life for children, teens, and adults with the condition compared to those without it.

  Recruiting Erasmus Medical Center · Groningen and 1 other locations · NCT06723951

• Using cryopreserved human umbilical cord to repair spina bifida in fetuses

  This study is testing whether using preserved human umbilical cords can help repair spinal cord defects in fetuses with spina bifida to improve their health and development.

  Recruiting The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston · Houston, Texas · NCT06042140

• Evaluating urinary biomarkers in spina bifida patients

  This study is testing if certain urine markers can help predict kidney damage in people with spina bifida during their regular check-ups.

  Recruiting Rennes University Hospital · Rennes, CHU de Rennes · NCT06041334

• Transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation for urinary leakage in children with spina bifida

  This study will try mild electrical stimulation at the ankle (TTNS) to reduce urinary leakage in children aged 8–18 with spina bifida and neurogenic bladder.

  Recruiting University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center · Dallas, Texas · NCT06025734

• Evaluation of a care program for adults with childhood-onset disabilities

  This study is testing a new care program for adults who had disabilities from childhood to see if it helps them get better healthcare and improve their overall health.

  Recruiting Western University, Canada · London, Ontario · NCT05849285

• Using a robotic exoskeleton to help children with movement disorders walk better

  This study is testing if a robotic exoskeleton can help children with movement disorders walk better and improve their overall movement skills.

  Recruiting National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) · Bethesda, Maryland · NCT05726591

• Enema Device for Children With Spina Bifida

  This study tests a Foley catheter–based device to help kids with spina bifida who use daily enemas see if the device makes bowel management easier and cleaner.

  Recruiting University of Colorado, Denver · Aurora, Colorado · NCT05253196

• Comparing two surgical methods for correcting fetal myelomeningocele

  This study is testing two different surgical methods to see which one works better and is safer for fixing a serious birth defect called fetal myelomeningocele before the baby is born.

  Recruiting at 2 sites USFetus · Los Angeles, California and 1 other locations · NCT03856034

• Mobile health system for managing chronic health conditions

  This study tests a mobile health system that helps people with chronic conditions like spinal cord injuries and cerebral palsy manage their health better by using apps for reminders and tracking symptoms.

  Recruiting University of Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · NCT02592291

NIH-funded research (newest 40 of 79)

Early-stage science funded by the US National Institutes of Health. Most of these projects don't enroll patients, but they show what is being worked on.

• Improving care and outcomes for people living with spina bifida in Wisconsin

  A patient-friendly project aims to improve everyday care and health outcomes for people with spina bifida in Wisconsin.

  NIH research Children's Hospital of Wisconsin · Milwaukee, United States · NIH-11629313

• The National Spina Bifida Patient Registry at University of Pittsburgh

  A national registry project at the University of Pittsburgh aims to collect and organize information about people with spina bifida to improve care.

  NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11621295

• Improving Care and Outcomes for People Living with Spina Bifida

  A patient-friendly project aims to improve how people with spina bifida are cared for and how well they do over time.

  NIH research Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · Salt Lake City, United States · NIH-11616605

• Scoliosis and neurosurgical factors in myelomeningocele: a clinic registry study

  This project uses registry data from Penn State’s Spina Bifida Clinic to understand how brain and spine-related issues influence when and why scoliosis surgery is needed in people with myelomeningocele.

  NIH research Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr · Hershey, United States · NIH-11616604

• UMPIRE: Better Urologic Care for Babies with Spina Bifida

  This grant tests how to best protect kidney function in newborns with spina bifida by comparing and refining urologic care practices across multiple hospitals.

  NIH research Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago · Chicago, United States · NIH-11616603

• Spina Bifida Collaborative Care Network to Improve Outcomes

  A national program is expanding coordinated care networks and a patient registry to help people with Spina Bifida get better, more consistent care.

  NIH research Spina Bifida Association · Alexandria, UNITED STATES · NIH-11616602

• UMPIRE Protocol: Improving Kidney Health for Children with Spina Bifida

  A long-term plan to standardize how doctors care for babies and young kids with spina bifida to protect their kidney function.

  NIH research University of Alabama at Birmingham · Birmingham, United States · NIH-11616601

• National Spina Bifida Patient Registry and Urologic Care for Young Children (Component B)

  A national registry and coordinated care project will collect information on young children with spina bifida to guide better urologic management and overall care.

  NIH research Duke University · Durham, United States · NIH-11616600

• Oregon Spina Bifida Registry Project - Comp B

  This grant supports building and refining a national registry to track care practices and health outcomes for people living with spina bifida to improve care and quality of life.

  NIH research Oregon Health & Science University · Portland, United States · NIH-11616599

• Spina Bifida Patient Registry at Vanderbilt

  A California-style patient registry project collects health information from kids and adults with spina bifida treated at Vanderbilt to help understand long-term outcomes.

  NIH research Vanderbilt University Medical Center · Nashville, United States · NIH-11616598

• UMPIRE: Standardized Urologic Care for Babies with Spina Bifida

  A child with spina bifida would receive a standardized set of bladder and kidney care to protect kidneys and help with continence as they grow.

  NIH research Vanderbilt University Medical Center · Nashville, United States · NIH-11616596

• UMPIRE Protocol: A Urologic Plan to Protect Kidneys in Young Children with Spina Bifida

  A coordinated urologic plan is being tested to preserve kidney health in young children with spina bifida by standardizing care and collecting data across multiple sites.

  NIH research Children's Hospital of Los Angeles · Los Angeles, United States · NIH-11616595

• National Spina Bifida Patient Registry across the U.S.

  A national registry collects health information from people with spina bifida to help doctors and families get better, more consistent care.

  NIH research Ut Southwestern Medical Center · Dallas, United States · NIH-11616594

• Improving care and outcomes for young children with Spina Bifida in Wisconsin

  A patient-friendly project aims to improve how doctors care for and outcomes for young children with spina bifida in Wisconsin.

  NIH research Children's Hospital of Wisconsin · Milwaukee, United States · NIH-11616593

• Improving care and outcomes for people with Spina Bifida through a national registry

  A long-term project uses a national health registry to understand and improve care for people with spina bifida.

  NIH research University of Alabama at Birmingham · Birmingham, United States · NIH-11616592

• UMPIRE Protocol: Preserving Kidney Function in Young Children with Spina Bifida

  A pediatric kidney-preservation study aims to improve long-term kidney function in young children with spina bifida.

  NIH research Seattle Children's Hospital · Seattle, United States · NIH-11616590

• National Spina Bifida Patient Registry, Component B

  This project continues collecting and sharing information from people with spina bifida to improve care and outcomes.

  NIH research Children's Hospital of Los Angeles · Los Angeles, United States · NIH-11616585

• National Spina Bifida Patient Registry at Lurie Children's Hospital

  A long-term registry program collects health data from children and adults with spina bifida to understand how different treatments affect outcomes.

  NIH research Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago · Chicago, United States · NIH-11616584

• UMPIRE: Keeping Kidneys Healthy for Babies with Spina Bifida

  A care protocol for newborns with spina bifida aims to protect kidney function by thoughtful bladder management and monitoring from birth.

  NIH research Baylor College of Medicine · Houston, United States · NIH-11616581

• National Spina Bifida Patient Registry at Children's Hospital Los Angeles

  Collects health, treatment, and outcome information from people with spina bifida cared for at CHLA to help improve care and quality of life.

  NIH research Children's Hospital of Los Angeles · Los Angeles, United States · NIH-11423404

• Tracking scoliosis and spine surgery outcomes for people with spina bifida

  This project uses clinic registry data to look at when people with myelomeningocele need scoliosis surgery and what happens to them afterward.

  NIH research Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr · Hershey, United States · NIH-11423403

• Oregon Spina Bifida Patient Registry

  This project gathers health and care information from people with spina bifida to help improve care and quality of life.

  NIH research Oregon Health & Science University · Portland, United States · NIH-11423390

• CDC National Spina Bifida Patient Registry

  This registry collects health and treatment information from people with spina bifida to help improve care and services for the condition.

  NIH research Ut Southwestern Medical Center · Dallas, United States · NIH-11422059

• Protecting kidney health in children with spina bifida

  This project is trying a standard urology care plan to protect kidneys in newborns and young children born with spina bifida.

  NIH research University of Alabama at Birmingham · Birmingham, United States · NIH-11422051

• Improving care and outcomes for people with spina bifida

  This project develops and compares care strategies to help people living with spina bifida have better health, function, and quality of life.

  NIH research Baylor College of Medicine · Houston, United States · NIH-11422047

• Protecting kidney health in babies with spina bifida through early bladder care

  This project follows infants and young children with spina bifida to find out whether regular bladder monitoring and treatments like catheterization and medication help protect kidney function and reduce bladder and bowel problems.

  NIH research Baylor College of Medicine · Houston, United States · NIH-11422035

• Understanding Genetic Complexity in Spina Bifida

  A study to find genetic clues that contribute to spina bifida in children by looking at whole genome data from families and using computer methods to spot risk factors.

  NIH research Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · New York, United States · NIH-11403761

• Spina bifida registry and urologic care for young children

  This project gathers health and treatment information from people with spina bifida to see how urologic care affects young children's bladder and kidney health.

  NIH research Duke University · Durham, United States · NIH-11403053

• Protecting kidney health in young children with spina bifida

  This project tries specific urologic care plans to protect kidney function in young children who have spina bifida.

  NIH research Seattle Children's Hospital · Seattle, United States · NIH-11403051

• Better care and outcomes for people with spina bifida

  This program develops and puts into practice improved care approaches and supports to help people with spina bifida stay healthier and more independent.

  NIH research Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · Salt Lake City, United States · NIH-11403049

• University of Pittsburgh Spina Bifida Patient Registry

  This registry gathers health information from people with spina bifida to help improve care and future treatments.

  NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11403047

• Protecting kidney health in young children with spina bifida through standardized urology care

  This project will use a standard urology care plan for young children with spina bifida to help keep their kidneys healthy and reduce urinary problems.

  NIH research Children's Hospital of Los Angeles · Los Angeles, United States · NIH-11400842

• Vanderbilt Spina Bifida Patient Registry

  Collects health information from people with spina bifida at Vanderbilt to track long-term outcomes and help improve their care.

  NIH research Vanderbilt University Medical Center · Nashville, United States · NIH-11400841

• Improving care and outcomes for people with spina bifida

  Collecting long-term clinic information to help doctors improve care and health for children and adults with spina bifida.

  NIH research University of Alabama at Birmingham · Birmingham, United States · NIH-11400840

• Lurie Children's Spina Bifida Patient Registry

  This project collects health information over time from children and adults with spina bifida to compare care approaches and help doctors learn what works best.

  NIH research Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago · Chicago, United States · NIH-11400838

• Better bladder and kidney care for young children with spina bifida in Wisconsin

  This project brings improved urology care and follow-up to young children with spina bifida in Wisconsin to help protect their bladder and kidneys.

  NIH research Children's Hospital of Wisconsin · Milwaukee, United States · NIH-11400837

• Protecting kidney health in young children with spina bifida

  This project tests a standardized set of urology 'best practices' aimed at protecting kidney function in infants and young children born with spina bifida.

  NIH research Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago · Chicago, United States · NIH-11400834

• Improving care for people with spina bifida through a national collaborative network

  This project uses national patient registry data to find clinic practices that lead to better outcomes for people with spina bifida and shares those practices with clinics across the country.

  NIH research Spina Bifida Association · Alexandria, UNITED STATES · NIH-11400833

• Improving care and outcomes for people with spina bifida in Wisconsin

  This project follows people with spina bifida in Wisconsin over time to help doctors improve care and long-term health.

  NIH research Children's Hospital of Wisconsin · Milwaukee, United States · NIH-11400830

• Urology care plan for children born with spina bifida

  Using a standardized urology care plan for newborns and children with spina bifida to help protect kidneys and improve bladder control.

  NIH research Vanderbilt University Medical Center · Nashville, United States · NIH-11400829

Related topics

Quick answers

How many Spina Bifida clinical trials are recruiting right now?

19, as of November 12, 2026. We update this list each time we refresh our data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

Where are these trials running?

In 5 countries. The most sites are in United States (12 trials), Spain (2 trials), Canada (2 trials), France (2 trials), Netherlands (1 trial). Each study page lists its sites and which ones are recruiting.

What phases are they in?

Phase 3: 1. Trials with no phase listed are usually device, behavioural or observational studies.

How do I join one?

Open a study, check the "Is this trial a fit for you?" section, then contact the study team listed on the page. They will ask a few screening questions. Asking is free and does not commit you to anything. Talk it over with your doctor first.

Find the studies that fit you

A list is a starting point. Tell us your situation in your own words and we'll rank the studies that match and explain why. It's free and needs no account.

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