My girlfriend is now pregnant and is using M.A.C.E to help her go to the bathroom. She uses glycerin and salt and water. Can this affect the baby?

Congratulations on your girlfriend’s pregnancy. First, I hope she is on 4 mg of folic acid every day to help decrease the risk of myelomeningocele in your child. For more information on folic acid supplementation, please see the June 2007 Ask the Doctor question in the archives.

The M.A.C.E. (Malone antegrade colonic enema) procedure has been very useful in helping individuals with spina bifida become more continent of stool and have controlled bowel movements. Glycerine is used to help move the stool through the colon and is not absorbed into the body. Therefore, there is no risk to the developing baby. The salt and water will mostly be flushed through the colon with the stool. A small amount will be absorbed into the body, but salt and water are natural to the body and won’t cause any harm.

There is more information on pregnancy and Spina Bifida in the Ask the Doctor archives. See August 2007 and October 2007.