Cleft extension and risks of other birth defects in children with isolated cleft palate.
OBJECTIVE
To study the risks of having other birth defects in children born with an isolated cleft palate (iCP) when the length of the cleft was taken into account. The hypothesis was that a newborn with an extensive cleft lesion may have an increased risk of other birth defects compared to a child with a less extensive cleft of the palate.


METHODS
All Caucasian children with iCP born between 1975 and 2005 in the southwestern region of Sweden were included. Data were collected from standardized medical records and the length of the cleft was checked on the pre-surgical dental cast for each child.


RESULTS
A total of 343 children were born with an iCP. The incidence was 0.64/1000 live births. Thirty-four percent of children with either a total or partial iCP had other birth defects. The risk was 1.7 times higher for a total compared to a partial iCP. The two most common birth defects were congenital heart disease and intellectual disability. Ear problems related to infections were registered in 43% of cases. Fifteen percent of the children had the Pierre Robin sequence, which was analyzed as a separate variable and not included as a birth defect.


CONCLUSIONS
The length of the iCP was found to influence the risk of having another birth defect as the total palatal clefts were more often combined with other birth defects compared to partial clefts. Careful medical check-ups are important for newborns with iCP since they have increased risks of other birth defects.
Chetpakdeechit
Woranuch
W
Department of Orthodontics, Institute of Odontology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. catharina.hagberg@odontologi.gu.se
Mohlin
Bengt
B
Persson
Christina
C
Hagberg
Catharina
C
D002508:Cephalometry; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D003765:Models, Dental; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000002:abnormalities; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000002:abnormalities; D010855:Pierre Robin Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013577:Syndrome; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data