Risk Factors of cleft malformation in Children

Abstract

Introduction: most children born with cleft malformation (CM) are unable to be breastfeed and require several surgical procedures and complex medical treatments. Therefore, the study was to conducted to determine the risk factors of cleft malformation (CM).

Methods: The sorry used case- control design. Children with CM attending at Morang co-operative hospital were taken as cases, and controls included age (six months) and sex match children for each case for Koshi Zonal Hospital. All cases and controls included were aged below ten years. A semi-interview schedule was used to collect information regarding exposure status.

Results: Majority (80.5% of the case and 78.6% control) children belong to less than five years of age and CM was more common in males (71.4%) than female (37.5%) with cleft lip and palate being the most common type of CM. One - forth (25.0%) after case children had positive family history of CM. Similarly, 10.7% mothers of case children had consumed alcohol during the first trimester of pregnancy. Analysis using chi-square and odds ratio identified positive family history (Odds Ratio 3.4) and maternal alcohol consumption during first trimester (Odds Ratio 4.8) to be significantly associated with CM in the offspring.

Conclusions: Study concludes that positive family history of CM and maternal alcohol consumption during the first trimester tends to be the significant risk factors of CM. Children born to the family with positive history of CM are three times more likely to develop CM and mothers who consume alcohol during first trimester are five times at greater risk of delivering offspring with CM. Burden of complex and expensive cleft treatment can be prevented by minimizing exposure to the identified risk factor.