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Birth prevalence of cleft lip and/or palate - a register study of all children born in Sweden years 2000-2020

Cornefjord, Måns LU orcid ; Källén, Karin LU ; Klintö, Kristina LU orcid ; Stiernman, Mia LU ; Wiedel, Anna-Paulina LU and Becker, Magnus LU orcid (2025) In Journal of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery 60. p.120-126
Abstract
This study investigated the birth prevalence of cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) in Sweden between 2000 and 2020 using data from the Swedish National Medical Birth Register, which includes over 97% of children born in the country, and its subregister the National Register of Congenital Anomalies. The dataset included 2,230,771 anonymized children, with the variables year of birth, sex and diagnoses according to ICD-10. Computed variables were any CL/P diagnosis, cleft palate without cleft lip (CP), cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL ± P), bilateral cleft lip with or without cleft palate (BCL ± P), unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP), and... (More)
This study investigated the birth prevalence of cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) in Sweden between 2000 and 2020 using data from the Swedish National Medical Birth Register, which includes over 97% of children born in the country, and its subregister the National Register of Congenital Anomalies. The dataset included 2,230,771 anonymized children, with the variables year of birth, sex and diagnoses according to ICD-10. Computed variables were any CL/P diagnosis, cleft palate without cleft lip (CP), cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL ± P), bilateral cleft lip with or without cleft palate (BCL ± P), unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP), and maternal smoking. Overall cleft birth prevalence was 1.52 / 1,000 births, with a yearly risk ratio of 0.989. Trends in the birth prevalences of different cleft types showed a decrease in CL ± P, BCL ± P, UCLP, and BCLP, while CP birth prevalence remained stable. CL/P, CL ± P, BCL ± P, UCLP, and BCLP were significantly more common in boys than girls, but the opposite was shown for CP. The overall birth prevalence was relatively coherent with previous findings, and the decreasing trend seemed to be attributable to the decreasing occurrence of visible clefts (CL ± P, BCL ± P, UCLP, and BCLP). Possible explanations for this are yet to be examined but could include better management of risk factors, demographic changes, or shifts in attitudes toward cleft pregnancy termination. The study provides reliable epidemiological data on CL/P, suggesting a decreasing birth prevalence and changing distribution of cleft types that may require future adjustments of cleft care protocols (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery
volume
60
pages
120 - 126
publisher
Medical Journals Sweden AB
external identifiers
  • pmid:40457887
  • scopus:105007929238
ISSN
2000-656X
DOI
10.2340/jphs.v60.43739
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
230eb039-3399-46af-9592-1f9cdad89a6b
date added to LUP
2025-06-10 14:58:21
date last changed
2025-11-11 09:42:44
@article{230eb039-3399-46af-9592-1f9cdad89a6b,
  abstract     = {{This  study  investigated  the  birth  prevalence  of  cleft  lip  and/or  palate  (CL/P)  in  Sweden  between  2000  and  2020 using data from the Swedish National Medical Birth Register, which includes over 97% of children born in the country, and its subregister the National Register of Congenital Anomalies. The dataset included 2,230,771 anonymized  children,  with  the  variables  year  of  birth,  sex  and  diagnoses  according  to  ICD-10.  Computed  variables  were  any  CL/P  diagnosis,  cleft  palate  without  cleft  lip  (CP),  cleft  lip  with  or  without  cleft  palate  (CL ± P), bilateral cleft lip with or without cleft palate (BCL ± P), unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP), and maternal smoking. Overall cleft birth prevalence was 1.52 / 1,000 births, with a yearly risk ratio of 0.989. Trends in the birth prevalences of different cleft types showed a decrease in CL ± P, BCL ± P, UCLP, and BCLP, while CP birth prevalence remained stable. CL/P, CL ± P, BCL ± P, UCLP, and BCLP were significantly more common in boys than girls, but the opposite was shown for CP. The overall birth prevalence was  relatively  coherent  with  previous  findings,  and  the  decreasing  trend  seemed  to  be  attributable  to  the  decreasing occurrence of visible clefts (CL ± P, BCL ± P, UCLP, and BCLP). Possible explanations for this are yet to be examined but could include better management of risk factors, demographic changes, or shifts in attitudes toward cleft pregnancy termination. The study provides reliable epidemiological data on CL/P, suggesting a decreasing birth prevalence and changing distribution of cleft types that may require future adjustments of cleft care protocols}},
  author       = {{Cornefjord, Måns and Källén, Karin and Klintö, Kristina and Stiernman, Mia and Wiedel, Anna-Paulina and Becker, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{2000-656X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  pages        = {{120--126}},
  publisher    = {{Medical Journals Sweden AB}},
  series       = {{Journal of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery}},
  title        = {{Birth prevalence of cleft lip and/or palate - a register study of all children born in Sweden years 2000-2020}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2340/jphs.v60.43739}},
  doi          = {{10.2340/jphs.v60.43739}},
  volume       = {{60}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}