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Updated: Aug 1, 2026
08:04
Murine Fetal Echocardiography
Published on: February 15, 2013
Fetal mortality associated with cleft lip and cleft palate
The Johns Hopkins Medical Journal
|December 1, 1982
Summary
Fetal mortality increases with clefting liability in families. Higher liability levels may cause fetal death, aligning with the multifactorial two-threshold model for cleft lip (CL(P)) and cleft palate (CP) formation.
Area of Science:
- Medical Genetics
- Developmental Biology
- Reproductive Health
Background:
- Cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL(P)) and isolated cleft palate (CP) are common congenital anomalies.
- The genetic and environmental factors influencing clefting and associated fetal outcomes require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between liability to clefting and fetal mortality.
- To assess the compatibility of observed data with the multifactorial two-threshold model.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of pregnancy data from sibships of probands with CL(P) (n=1,516) and CP (n=774).
- Statistical evaluation of fetal mortality rates in relation to clefting liability.
Main Results:
- Fetal mortality significantly increases with increasing liability to clefting.
- The observed data support the multifactorial two-threshold model.
Conclusions:
- The multifactorial two-threshold model provides a framework for understanding both cleft formation and fetal death.
- Elevated liability to clefting is associated with increased risk of fetal mortality.
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