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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.
If an older sibling has bilateral (both sides of the upper lip) involvement, the recurrence risk is doubled (5.4%). If a parent has had either cleft lip or palate, there exists a 4% likelihood of cleft malformation in their children. However, if an affected parent has a child with cleft lip or palate, the chance of future children experiencing a cleft malformation rises to 14%. The diagnosis of cleft lip at birth is obvious.