From prenatal care to spina bifida related mortality: The lifespan is marked by transitions experienced by increasing immigrant and international populations.

Whether it is for collaboration on folic acid fortification or the standardization of care efforts concerning neurogenic bowel dysfunction, a global forum on neural tube defects related issues is needed. Propitiously, the 2023 Spina Bifida World Congress sponsored by the Spina Bifida Association (SBA) was a catalyst for transnational dialog in the field of spina bifida (SB) research. Concurrently, the Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine (JPRM) provides a platform for both international research as well as numerous clinical and educational projects, such as The Lifespan Bowel Management Protocol, and social interventions taught through the American Academy of Pediatrics' Spina Bifida Transition ECHO. Through this open access issue, work by colleagues in Ethiopia, the Nordic countries, and Switzerland, as well as among other transnational populations is highlighted. The development of the Spina Bifida Global Learning Collaborative is also showcased, representing a training initiative across four continents. Correspondingly in this issue, JPRM published an update to the Transition Guidelines for the Care of People with Spina Bifida. The clinical guidelines are a product of the SBA Collaborative Care Network cooperative agreement with the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While colleagues across the globe remain committed to native, immigrant, and displaced populations of individuals affected by SB, JPRM will continue to distribute premier research in multidisciplinary care, education, and advocacy.

International collaborations on advocacy, education, and research: Broad-spectrum thematic diversity catalyzes multidisciplinary spina bifida care.

As with the wide range in spina bifida (SB) incidence rates across nations, there is also wide variance in topics encountered by clinicians today. Both the wide variance in SB incidence rates and the wide diversity of topics to be addressed provide the backdrop for any dialogue among professionals serving this population. On the international stage, the World Congress on Spina Bifida Research and Care has been the only conference dedicated solely to research, practical challenges, and real-life solutions for those living with SB, their families, and caregivers. As a conference with a clear sense of the growing global village, the 2023 congress showcased innovative research from junior to preeminent investigators. Topical areas included urology, neurosurgery, global health, prenatal surgery, and transition to adult care amid others. Ultimately, through the dissemination of a compendium of conference abstracts, we hope that professionals will be aided and inspired to continue to improve the education, advocacy, and care among the many communities of individuals affected by SB globally.

From autism to zoom®: Spina bifida advocacy, care, education, and research in a changing word.

Whereas legislation mandates for folic acid fortification have been implemented throughout many nations, divergent neural tube defects (NTDs) prevalence rates still remain among the world's populations. In North America, the prevalence estimate is 39 infants per 100,000 live births. Open spina bifida (SB), also known as myelomeningocele, remains the most complex congenital abnormality of the central nervous system compatible with long term survival; this recognized complexity gives rise to emerging comorbidities and interventions. For example, increasing autism spectrum disorder rates have been reported among individuals with SB utilizing a 31,220 subject population-based birth cohort. Along with new clinical observations, telecommunication platforms such as Zoom® have evolved as clinical and investigational tools. Historically, society meetings, research conferences, and journals have provided opportunities for professional development and dissemination of up-to-date materials. The Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine (JPRM) has arisen as an open-access global platform for the dissemination of SB-related inquiry. The journal has also highlighted the research presented at the Spina Bifida Association's previous Spina Bifida World Congresses. At the last congress, which was held in 2017, twenty-three countries were represented; this number is expected to grow by the next convocation in 2023. This congress will provide an opportunity for health care professionals from around the globe to present a broad array of research topics and build collaborations. Concurrently, the JPRM will continue as an open-access platform for SB advocacy, care, education, and investigation, across our fast changing world for the international SB community well into the future.

Spina bifida care, education, and research: A multidisciplinary community in a global context.

Worldwide neural tube defects, such as encephalocele and spina bifida (SB), remain a substantial cause of the global burden of disease; and in the US, Latinos consistently have a higher birth prevalence of SB compared with other ethnic groups. From limited access and fragmented care, to scarcely available adult services, many are the challenges that besiege those living with SB. Thus, to provide inclusion and active involvement of parents of children and adults with SB from all communities, innovative approaches will be required, such as community-based participatory research and culturally competent learning collaboratives. Promisingly, the Spina Bifida Community-Centered Research Agenda was developed by the community of people living with SB through the Spina Bifida Association (SBA). Additionally, the SBA will host the Fourth World Congress on Spina Bifida Research and Care in March of 2023. Just as the SBA is clearly committed to this population, the Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine will continue to serve as a catalyst for SB care, education, and research across the SB population in a global context.