New Search. Examines and treats patients independently and in autonomous collaboration with other health care professionals. Ensures proper illness and injury care and disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.
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.
What is a cleft lip and cleft palate? A cleft lip/palate is a birth defect that occurs when the lip and mouth do not form properly during, approximately the 9th week of pregnancy. This causes the palate (roof of the mouth) or the lips to improperly join together leaving a hole or cleft.