How does a baby get Cleft Palate?
Cleft Palate is a birth defect which means they occur when the baby is developing inside the mother’s womb. The cause for a baby to have Cleft Palate might be genetic (hereditary). Cleft Palate has also been associated with smoking or use of certain medications during pregnancy however, all these associations are inconclusive. Cleft Palate is seen more commonly on males vs. females. What are the types of Cleft Palate? Cleft Palate can be 1) Unilateral Cleft Palate – the gap in the palate on one side of the midline, 2) Bilateral Cleft Palate – the gap in the palate is on both the sides of the midline. Cleft Palate can be 1) Complete Cleft Palate – the gap extends all the way from the upper lip to the floor of the nostril, 2) Incomplete Cleft Palate – the gap does not separate the palatal structures all the way. There is another type of Cleft Palate known as sub-mucous cleft or Invisible Cleft Palate. In this type of Cleft Palate, there is a gap in the soft palate which cannot be seen. I
