Prevalence of cleft lip and palate in cousin marriages

Birth defects are one of the leading causes of paediatric disability and mortality in developing as well as developed countries. The purpose of this study is to report our 3 months experience regarding the prevalence of cleft lip and palate in cousin marriages. A retrospective review of 50 patients who presented with cleft lip or cleft lip/palate during 3 months, from 9th March to 8th June, 2005 was carried out. Among the risk factors cousin marriages is a most frequent risk factor. Cleft lip is more common than cleft lip/palate and cleft lip alone is a different entity than cleft lip and palate combined