A case-control study on
cleft lip and/or palate
associated with maternal factors during pregnancy
Yukiko Usui, Kazuhiro Ono, Ritsuo Takagi,
Masataka Kaji, Masaki Nagata, Akihiko Iida,
Nobuyuki Imai, Yoji Kannari, Hajime Fujita,
Makoto Hayatsu, Yasushi Ohashi
Second Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery,
Niigata University School of Dentistry
(Chief: Associate Professor,Ritsuo Takagi)
Abstract: The occurrence of cleft lip and/or palate is believed to be
associated with an interaction between genetic and environmental
factors. To evaluate the maternal factors which contribute to cleft
lip and/or palate, we performed a case-control study using a
questionnaire specially designed for this study.
One hundred and seven mothers of patients
born from 1990 to 1995 and referred to our clinic were divided into
two groups, 75 with children with a cleft lip or cleft lip and palate
(cleft lip group) and 32 with children with a cleft palate only
(cleft palate group). The control group consisted of 201 mothers with
healthy babies born in 1993. Various factors were compared
statistically among these three groups.
Statistical significance was observed
between the cleft lip group and control group for one factor-the
incidence of a common cold at the beginning of pregnancy.
It is concluded that this factor may
contribute, at least to some degree, to the occurrence of cleft lip
and/or palate.
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