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Cleft lip and palate is due to tissues of the face not properly joining together during development. They are a type of birth defect. The cause in most cases is unknown. Risk factors include smoking during pregnancy, diabetes, an older mother, obesity, and certain medications such as some used to treat seizures.
Cleft Lip. More common than isolated cleft palates, cleft lips can be accompanied by a separation of the palate, but need not be. Children born with cleft lips have splits on either or both sides of their nose, which can extend upwards to affect nasal tissue, as well as creating grooves or separations in the gums. Like cleft palate, cleft lip is believed to be caused by an interplay between genetic, or hereditary, factors and chemicals ingested by a mother during pregnancy. A cleft lip can be repaired through a surgical procedure usually performed before 18 weeks of life.