Related Experiment Videos
First-year mortality among infants with facial clefts
P P Hujoel1, A M Bollen, B A Mueller
1Department of Dental Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Summary
Infants with facial clefts face higher infant mortality risks. Even without other anomalies, the risk increases 3.7-fold; with additional anomalies, it rises 82.3-fold, particularly in the neonatal period.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Congenital Anomalies
- Public Health
Background:
- Facial clefts are common congenital anomalies.
- Previous understanding suggested no increased infant mortality risk for isolated facial clefts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if isolated facial clefts or those with coexisting anomalies increase infant mortality risk.
- To quantify the mortality risk associated with different types of facial clefts.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Washington State birth and death certificate data from 1984-1988.
- Linked records for infants deceased before one year of age.
- Compared mortality rates between infants with facial clefts and those without anomalies.
Main Results:
- Infants with facial clefts but no other anomalies had 3.7 times higher odds of mortality in the first year.
- Infants with facial clefts and other anomalies had 82.3 times higher odds of mortality.
- The highest mortality risk for infants with associated anomalies occurred during the neonatal period (first 27 days), accounting for 77% of deaths.
Conclusions:
- Infants with facial clefts, with or without associated anomalies, face significantly increased mortality risk.
- The presence of additional anomalies dramatically elevates mortality risk, especially neonatally.
- Findings challenge previous assumptions about mortality risk in infants with facial clefts.