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ABSTRACT
Research Questions:
1. what are the epidemiological aspects of cleft lip/ cleft palate patients?
2. What is the association between the disabilities & maternal factors?
Settings: The Operation Smile camp conducted at Dr.Pinnamaneni Siddhartha General Hospital, Chinoutpalli, Vijayawada.
Study Design: Hospital based analytical study.
Participants: 100 patients attending the Operation Smile camp conducted at Dr. Pinnamaneni Siddhartha General Hospital.
Methodology: The data was collected from all the screened patients attending the Operation Smile camp using a pre tested and structure questionnaire by interview technique. The respondent is the adult patient or the mother of the child.
Results: The cleft lip and cleft palate were more in children less than five years of age. Unilateral lesion and isolated lesions are common. The cleft lesions are more in consanguineous marriages, with maternal age of less than 20 years; with birth order one, in families with below poverty line and with less antenatal care.
Conclusions: The community should be made aware of consanguineous marriages and such marriages to be discouraged. The adolescents to be educated about the right age at marriage and ensure provision and utilization of Reproductive & Child Health services. Psychological counseling sessions to be organized and motivate them for the surgical corrections at the early age.
Keywords: Cleft Lip, Cleft Palate, Consanguineous Marriage, Maternal Age, and Antenatal Care
INTRODUCTION
Cleft lip and Cleft palate which can also occur together are variations of a type of clefting congenital deformity caused by abnormal facial development during gestation.
A cleft is a fissure or opening-a gap. It is the non fusion of the body's natural structures that form before birth. If the cleft does not affect the palate structure of the mouth, it is referred to as cleft lip.1
Cleft lip is formed in the top of the lip as either a small gap or an indentation in the lip (partial or incomplete cleft) or it continues into the nose (complete cleft). Cleft lip can also occur as one sided (unilateral) or two sided (bilateral). It is due to failure of fusion of the maxillary and medial nasal processes.2
Cleft palate is a condition in which two plates of the skull that form the hard palate are not completely joined. Palate is developed around 6-8...