Abstract
Cleft lip and/or palate is a malformation of relatively high incidence in Japan. Many studies have reported its incidence, however, there were little of recent surveys based on a large size of population. Since it is expected to have some changes of social environmental factors such as maternal aging, present study is aimed to investigate current rate of incidence using a questionnaire at the maternity hospitals in Niigata Prefecture from November,1994 to October,1995.
A total of 20566 new born infants were examined, and 36 had cleft lip and /or palate (0.175 %). Among those 36 infants with cleft lip and/or palate,13 had cleft lip,15 had cleft lip and palate, and 8 had cleft palate. Of the 13 infants with cleft lip,11 were unilateral and 2 were bilateral type of cleft. Of the 15 infants with cleft lip and palate,11 were unilateral and 4 were bilateral.
As for the sex,6 males and 7 females were in infants with cleft lip,10 males an d 5 females in infants with cleft lip and palate, and 1 male and 7 females in infants with cleft palate only.
Association of malformations were recognized in 9 out of the 36 infants (25.0 %) includi ng syndromes of Pierre-Robin, Opitz, Down,18 trisomy, and defects of the brain, skull, heart, limbs, and auricle.
