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Cleft Palate in Newborns Diagnosed With Prematurity
Jennifer N Shehan1, David O'Neil Danis2, Ashank Bains2
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Summary
Preterm infants have nearly double the risk of developing cleft lip and/or palate (CLP). This finding highlights the importance of considering prematurity in CLP risk assessment and maternal counseling.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Congenital malformations
- Neonatal health
Background:
- Cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) is a common congenital malformation.
- Etiology of CLP involves genetic, nutritional, and environmental factors.
- The role of prematurity in CLP pathogenesis is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between prematurity and the development of CLP in the United States.
- To understand the impact of preterm birth on CLP incidence.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study utilizing the 2016 Kids' Inpatient Database.
- Identified in-hospital births with diagnoses of prematurity and/or CLP.
- Used logistic regression and odds ratios to assess associations, controlling for confounding variables.
Main Results:
- Preterm infants showed 1.90 times the odds of developing CLP compared to full-term infants.
- Logistic regression confirmed an adjusted odds ratio of 1.83 for the prematurity-CLP association.
- Analysis included over 326,000 preterm infants and over 5,000 infants with CLP.
Conclusions:
- Infants born preterm have a significantly higher likelihood of CLP.
- Findings support improved risk stratification for preterm infants.
- Results can inform maternal counseling and clinical interventions for prematurity-related CLP risk.
