Underreporting, Prevalence, and Epidemiological Trends of Orofacial Clefts in the Brazilian Amazon Region

Cleft lip and palate are the most common congenital anomalies of the cranial segment worldwide. Particularly in low-income and middle-income countries, these conditions are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, socioeconomic challenges, and considerable psychological and social integration difficulties for affected individuals. This study aims to evaluate the epidemiological profile of patients with these conditions treated at a newly established specialized center in the Brazilian Amazonian Region. Data were extracted from medical records at a Reference Service for Clefts and Craniofacial Anomalies in the north of Brazil, covering the period from 2016 to 2020. These were compared with data from the official epidemiological health portal of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The study recorded a total of 852 patients, with males comprising 54.4%. The predominant type of cleft was the transforaminal cleft, which accounted for 69.4% of cases, followed by postforamen clefts at 17.3%. The left side was more frequently affected in 63% of the cases. The primary surgical intervention performed was cheiloplasty, representing 39.5% of all procedures. Notably, 52% of the patients were from the interior regions of the state. The 2019 DataSUS data indicated a prevalence of cleft lip and palate in the State of Pará of 4.26 per 10,000 live births. However, data from this single specialized hospital showed a higher prevalence of 7.58 per 10,000 live births. These results may reflect underreporting of the number of cases reported in national official data sets.