What is Cleft Lip?
Cleft lip (cheiloschisis) and cleft palate (palatoschisis) are variations of a kind of clefting congenital deformity caused by an abnormal facial development during embryonic development.Both these conditions tend to occur together. In the case of cleft palate , the two plates of the skull that make up the roof of the mouth (palate) are not completely joined.Both cleft lip and palate can be successfully repaired immediately after birth. The frequency of occurrence of this condition at birth is 1 in 600-800 births.Its prevalence is highest among Native Americans and Asians. The lowest prevalence rates are recorded among the Africans. Cleft Lip /Palate-Causes The exact cause of cleft lip and palate is,by and large, unknown although a combination of genetic factors and environmental factors (such as viruses and chemicals) are implicated. Sometimes it occurs as a secondary condition to another medical problem. The probability of a child being born with these conditions is greater if a sibl
