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Facial clefting in an Arab town in Israel
L Jaber1, A Nahmani, G J Halpern
1The Bridge to Peace Community Pediatric Center, Taibe, Israel.
Clinical Genetics
|July 18, 2002
Summary
Facial clefting, including cleft lip and cleft palate, affects 1.6 per 1000 individuals in an Israeli Arab community. This prevalence aligns with global rates, with no significant links found to consanguinity or specific pregnancy exposures.
Area of Science:
- Medical Genetics
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Facial clefts, encompassing cleft lip and cleft palate, are common congenital anomalies.
- Understanding the prevalence and potential risk factors in diverse populations is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of cleft lip with or without cleft palate and cleft palate only in an Israeli Arab community.
- To investigate potential associations with consanguinity and maternal exposures during pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study utilizing questionnaires administered to parents of primary school pupils in Taibe, Israel.
- Data collected on affected individuals across three generations, including consanguinity and maternal exposures (medication, radiation, smoking, alcohol).
Main Results:
- An overall prevalence of 1.6/1000 for all facial clefts was observed, with cleft lip (with or without palate) at 1.36/1000 and cleft palate only at 0.24/1000.
- No significant association was found between facial clefting and consanguinity (P < 0.92).
- No cases reported maternal exposure to medication, radiation, smoking, or alcohol during pregnancy.
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of facial clefting in this Israeli Arab community is comparable to worldwide general population rates.
- The study did not identify significant links between facial clefting and the investigated risk factors within this specific population.