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From the Iowa Center for Birth Defects Prevention and Research
Iowa researchers did a study to learn about causes of cleft lip and
cleft palate.
- In Iowa, cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P) affects about
1 out of 700 births.
- These defects can cause dental, speech, and cosmetic
problems. The average lifetime medical costs for a child with
CL/P can be more than half a million dollars.
- Researchers asked families of infants with and without CL/P
to take part in the Iowa Child Health Study.
- Mothers were asked questions about their health habits
during pregnancy. They were also asked about possible exposures
at work or at home during pregnancy.
- Children and their parents were asked to give blood or
cheek-swab samples. The samples were used to study their genes.
- This study found that smoking and using alcohol while
pregnant may lead to CL/P in Iowa children. These behaviors were
also found to interact with certain genes to raise the risk of
CL/P.
EESource: Centers for Birth Defects Research and Prevention.
Iowa’s Child Health Study
explores causes of cleft lip and cleft
palate. NBDPS News 2002:3.
[Back to Iowa Center information]
Date:
March 11, 2009
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
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