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Statistical Brief

Number 9

September 2002
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Cleft Palate and/or Lip Birth Defects, 1990-1999
West Virginia Residents
Brief No. 9

During the 10 years from 1990 through 1999, 350 children in West Virginia were diagnosed as having cleft palates and/or cleft lips. Using the 214,497 births that occurred to West Virginia residents during this time period as a denominator, a rate of 163.2 per 100,000 live births was calculated for these defects.

Demographics

Among the factors that affect the prevalence of cleft palate and cleft lip defects is maternal age. Older mothers are less likely to give birth to children with these defects than their younger counterparts. Women ages 35 and over produced children with cleft palates and/or cleft lips at a rate of 111.9 per 100,000 live births. In contrast, women ages 20-24 gave birth to children with these defects at a rate of 181.9 per 100,000 live births.

Ethnicity of mother is another indicator of the odds of a child being born with a cleft palate or cleft lip. Children of white mothers were observed to have these anomalies at the rate of 166.6 per 100,000 live births. However, children of nonwhite mothers were observed to have cleft palates and/or cleft lips at a rate of only 86.6 per 100,000 live births.

Low birthweight is another factor that influences the likelihood of a child being born with a cleft palate and/or lip. Children of very low birthweights, i.e.,weighing less than 1,500 grams (3.5 pounds) at the time of birth, were born with these defects at a rate of 397.7 per 100,000 live births. Similarly, children of moderately low birthweights, i.e., weighing between 1,500 and 2,499 grams (3.5 - 5.5 pounds) at birth, had a rate of 406.2 per 100,000 live births. In contrast, children with a birthweight of 2,500 or more grams had a much lower rate of these defects, 139.8 per 100,000 live births.

Gestational age is another factor in the odds of child being born with a cleft palate or cleft lip. Children who were born prematurely, whose gestational age was less than 37 weeks, were observed to have cleft palates and/or cleft lips at a rate of 257.0 per 100,000 live births. Those children whose gestational age was 37 weeks or more had one or both of these anomalies at a rate of 149.8 per 100,000 live births.

Plurality, or multiple births, also affects the rate of these defects. Children who shared the womb with one or more siblings were observed to have a rate of cleft defects of 220.0 per 100,000 live births. In contrast, singleton children had a lower rate, 160.4 per 100,000 live births.

Smoking status of the mother is a behavioral factor that influences the odds of child being born with a cleft lip and/or palate. Mothers who smoked during pregnancy gave birth to children with cleft defects at a rate of 196.7 per 100,000 live births. Children of nonsmoking mothers were observed to have cleft palates and/or cleft lips at a rate of 151.5 per 100,000 live births.

Another behavioral factor that influences the rate of cleft palate and/or cleft lip defects is alcohol consumption of the mother. Women who consumed alcohol during pregnancy gave birth to children with these defects at a rate of 288.9 per 100,000 live births. In contrast, the rate of cleft defects of children of mothers who did not consume alcohol during pregnancy was nearly half, i.e., 161.3 per 100,000 live births.

The association between the onset of prenatal care and the rate of cleft defects is shown by Figure Eight. Those women who received no prenatal care produced children with cleft defects at a rate of 178.5 per 100,000 live births. In contrast, those who began prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy gave birth to children with cleft defects at a rate of 157.2 and those who started prenatal care during the second trimester produced children with cleft defects at a rate of 166.8. Surprisingly, those who waited until the third trimester had a cleft defect rate of only 156.4 per 100,000 live births.

As with timeliness, the quantity of prenatal care may influence the rate of cleft defects. Those women who visited their obstetricians fewer than 10 times before giving birth produced children with cleft defects at a rate of 183.0 per 100,000 live births. Those who had 10 to 19 prenatal visits gave birth to children with cleft defects at a rate of 144.4 per 100,000 live births. However, those who had 20 or more prenatal visits, which would include women known to have pregnancy complications, produced children with cleft defects at a much higher rate, 299.1 per 100,000 live births.

The prevalence of cleft palate and/or lip defects declines as the education levels of mothers increase. Mothers with less than 12 years of education gave birth to children with cleft defects at a rate of 205.6 per 100,000 live births. Those with 12 years of education produced children with cleft defects at a rate of 155.6. Mothers who had 13 or more years of education gave birth to children with cleft defects at an even smaller rate, 131.5 per 100,000 live births

This brief is intended only to provide statistical data on the numbers and rates of reported cleft palate and/or lip birth defect incidences from 1990-99 and does not include information on services available for children who have been affected. For information on services available, contact the Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health at 1-800-642-8522.

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This page was last updated 09/20/02.

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