A Case of Fetal Cleft Lip and Palate Diagnosed by Three-Dimensional Ultrasound During Pregnancy

We report a case in which a fetal cleft lip and palate were diagnosed by three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound during pregnancy. The patient was a 26-year-old woman with four pregnancies and three deliveries, and her third child had a cleft lip and palate. She had been undergoing antenatal care at our hospital since seven weeks of gestation, and a fetal cleft lip was suspected by a 3D ultrasound taken at 24 weeks of gestation. Up to this time, a diagnosis had not been made due to poor conditions, such as the direction of the fetus. However, the coronal section at 1 mm intervals centered on the palatal area was scanned using tomographic ultrasound imaging (TUI) in a 3D ultrasound at 34 weeks of gestation. The connection between the nasal and oral cavity, as well as a defect in the alveolar ridge, suggested a cleft lip and palate. The mother went into labor at 36 weeks and one day of pregnancy, and a vaginal delivery was performed on the same day. The baby was a 2,164 g boy with an Apgar score of 8/9 and a cleft lip and palate. 3D ultrasound is a useful tool for the detailed depiction of the facial and oral structures of the fetus and may also allow a detailed evaluation of cleft lip and palate.