What is cleft lip?
Cleft lip is a congenital condition in which the skin muscles at the base of the baby’s lips and nose are broken.
Are all babies with cleft lip combined with cleft palate?
No. A baby may be born with a cleft lip or a cleft palate, or in severe cases, with both a cleft lip and a cleft palate.
Why does a cleft lip form?
During the fourth to sixth week of pregnancy, the baby’s lips begin to form. During this time, the skin and muscles on the sides of the baby’s face fuse with the skin and muscles coming from the tip of the nose. If they do not fuse properly a cleft lip is formed.
The exact cause of cleft lip is not known and is associated with both genetics and the environment. More than a dozen related genes have been identified. It is also easy to develop cleft lips if there are viral infections, smoking and alcohol consumption, and folic acid deficiency during the period when the lips are fused. There is a definite family history of cleft lip in some cases, but most of them are disseminated, which means that there is no history of cleft lip in other members of the family.
If I have a baby with a cleft lip, what are the chances of having another baby with a cleft lip?
This is related to many factors, including how many cleft lips are already in your family. You can ask a geneticist for a general estimate based on each family’s specific situation.
Are all cleft lips the same?
No. Depending on whether the nose and palate are involved, they can be divided into the following types: Unilateral (only one side of the face is involved) Bilateral (both sides are involved) Under these two main categories, they can be subdivided into the following subtypes: Incomplete (both sides of the lip are partially fused) Complete (both sides of the lip are not fused at all) Asymmetric (for bilateral cleft lips, one side is complete and the other is incomplete) How is cleft lip diagnosed?
Cleft lips can be detected by ultrasound as early as 16 weeks of pregnancy. However, the exact diagnosis will be determined by a detailed examination after birth.