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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.
Common Birth Defects. Cleft lip and/or palate happens when the tissues of the mouth or lip don't form properly during fetal development, leaving an opening, division, or split in that area. This is called clefting.. A cleft lip is a long opening between the upper lip and the nose. A cleft palate is an opening between the roof of the mouth and the nasal cavity. In the United States, oral clefting happens in 1 in 700 to 1,000 births, making it one of the most common major birth defects.