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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.
Several factors may increase the likelihood of a baby developing a cleft lip and cleft palate, including: 1  Family history. Parents with a family history of cleft lip or cleft palate face a higher risk of having a baby with a cleft. 2  Race.