How common is cleft lip and/or palate in the United States?
The most recent statistics reveal approximately one in every 600 infants in the United States is born with a cleft lip and/or palate. Those of Native American, Asian and Hispanic ancestry are more likely to have a child with a cleft (about one in 500 births). The rate of occurrence for African Americans is about one in 1,000. Some cleft/craniofacial conditions run in families, while others cannot be explained (i.e., no family history, no known environmental factor). To learn more about clefts, visit our website at cleftAdvocate.org.
