Causes and Risk Factors
Cleft lip and cleft palate are thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other factors, such as things the mother comes in contact with in her environment, or what the mother eats or drinks, or certain medications she uses during pregnancy.
What are the main causes of cleft lip?
Causes of cleft lip and palate
- the genes a child inherits from their parents (although most cases are a one-off)
- smoking during pregnancy or drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
- obesity during pregnancy.
- a lack of folic acid during pregnancy.
What causes cleft lip embryology?
The joining process, or “closing of the zipper” starts up front by the teeth and moves backwards towards the throat. If the process of growth and joining is interrupted at any stage, a gap or split will develop, resulting in a cleft of either the lip or the palate.
