In 2020, the Spina Bifida Association recognized the UAB Adult Spina Bifida Clinic as a Clinic Care Partner, making it one of the initial recipients of this distinction. To earn this honor, the clinic successfully fulfilled 10 standards of best practice in providing exceptional care for individuals with spina bifida. Established in 2012, this clinic has established a close collaboration with a comparable team at Children's of Alabama, facilitating a seamless transition from pediatric to adult care.
 
The UAB Adult Multidisciplinary Spina Bifida Clinic operates within the UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center, combining the expertise of Neurosurgery, Urology, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. This unique clinic delivers comprehensive care, addressing three essential specialties to ensure the utmost well-being of adults with spina bifida, all during a single clinic visit. Patients benefit from convenient access to other services, including radiology, social work, neuropsychology, wheelchair seating and repairs, physical and occupational therapy, orthotics and prosthetics, wound care and plastic surgery.
 
Spina bifida stands as the most prevalent congenital birth defect that leads to lifelong disability. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 1,400 infants are born with spina bifida each year in the United States. This condition, typically detectable at birth, is a type of neural tube defect, where the neural tube fails to fully close during fetal development, damaging the spinal cord and nerves.