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Pregnancy brings joy, but many expectant mothers feel anxious before delivery. Standard health insurance often covers multiple prenatal checkups, including a 20-week ultrasound that monitors the baby's heartbeat, position, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and amniotic fluid. Each visit can heighten worries about potential abnormalities. Some mothers, especially those who are older or more concerned, opt for advanced ultrasounds, amniocentesis for chromosomal checks, or genetic testing to ensure the baby's health.
Asians have a higher incidence of cleft lip and palate, occurring in about one in 600 births, though the exact causes remain unknown. General health insurance typically covers ultrasounds that can detect cleft lip around 20 weeks of pregnancy.
In the right fetal position, ultrasound can visualize the lip structure. If a gap appears, it's highly likely to indicate cleft lip. However, cleft palate isn't always detectable with standard ultrasound; it requires an experienced specialist and a specific fetal position. Definitive classification—whether it's just cleft lip, cleft lip with palate, or isolated palate—usually happens after birth. Even if only a small lip irregularity is seen, confirmation often waits until delivery.
Discovering cleft lip and palate can feel like a shock, leaving parents wondering if termination is an option. Many worry less about the cleft itself and more about additional problems.
In reality, cleft lip and palate are typically isolated conditions with no other comorbidities. They result from developmental issues during embryogenesis, unrelated to other congenital diseases. Isolated cleft palate might occasionally link to genetic factors, but most babies with cleft lip and palate develop normally, with no differences in learning or growth. Post-surgery, only a lip scar remains.
The causes are unclear, often attributed to environmental factors during early pregnancy, such as certain medications, infections, maternal malnutrition, or low folic acid intake. A small percentage may involve genetics.
Traditional beliefs, like avoiding scissors or practicing fetal exercises, are unfounded.
For adults born with cleft lip and palate, the recurrence risk for their children is under 4%, meaning most will have healthy babies.
Cleft lip and palate involve gaps in the upper lip or palate, often called "harelip." They can affect appearance and speech.
Treatment typically involves two surgeries before age one, followed by monitoring. Caregivers focus on scar care post-lip surgery to minimize future visibility. The baby itself won't remember the process, and the effort primarily falls on the parents.