Cleft Lip and Palate:

What causes a cleft?

In about one third of cases, one of the baby's relatives will have had a cleft; in the remaining two thirds, there is no family history. A cleft does not occur because of any one thing in particular that a woman did during her pregnancy. A number of genes have been discovered that are associated with cleft lip and palate, and a number of different drugs (alcohol, cigarettes, some seizure medications, vitamin A derivatives) have also been shown to make clefts more likely. However, it is most probable that a number of factors must come together for a cleft to occur. Children born with a cleft lip and palate need to be evaluated by experienced physicians to make sure that there are no other associated problems. Once a family has a child with a cleft lip and palate, the chances of having a second child with a cleft is about 4% (many families find it helpful to meet with a geneticist to further discuss these issues). There is some evidence suggesting that if a mother at risk for having a child with a cleft (there is a family history for clefts) taking multiple vitamins (including folic acid) may reduce the chance of having a child with a cleft.

Diagnosing clefts

Treatment

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