An epidemiological study of patients with congenital cleft palate in Iran

Introduction: Oral clefts are a commonly occurring congenital malformation, and their incidence varies among different racial and ethnic groups. Despite the significance of congenital abnormalities, accurate statistical information about this condition is not readily available. Registry systems can offer valuable information to decision-makers for effectively managing and controlling this condition. Methods: The current study is a cross-sectional descriptive analysis of registry system data. It analyzed data from 1461 patients with cleft palate over a 15-year period (2008-2023), including various variables and geographical distribution. Findings: The study found that the ratio of boys to girls with cleft palate is 1.3 to 1. 4.8% of mothers of babies with cleft palate had a history of underlying disease, with hypothyroidism being the most common at 0.9%. In 54% of cases, the parents were related by kinship. Additionally, 58.31% of babies with cleft palate had other abnormalities. The study concludes that the incidence rate of cleft palate varies, influenced by social and racial factors, in different regions of Iran.