Maternal risk factors and family burden with cleft children in Bangladesh

Background: Congenital anomalies like cleft lip and palate are defects that are visible at birth and can be fatal. The family burden of cleft children is high in the world. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 110 cleft children (case) aged three months to 15 years. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews from parents or caregivers attended the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Dhaka Dental College and Update Dental College in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Results: This study included 58 (52.7%) males and 52 (47.3%) females cleft children. About 62 (56.4%) cases were <1 year old and the birth weight of 70 (63.6%) child was <2.5 kg. Fifteen (13.6%) mothers of them had a previous history of birth abnormalities with cleft children. Twenty-four (21.8%) mothers were malnourished during pregnancy. The mean caregiver burden score was 42.40; most were mothers, whereas 7 (43.8%) had no burden, followed by mild to moderate burden 13 (44.8%). Notably, 24 (36.9%) caregivers experienced moderate to severe burden levels with an age range of 30 to 40 years. Education up to HSC level and middle socio-economic status were found statistically significant for the birth of a cleft child (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings highlighted the significant impact on family burden and caregiver's well-being.