Are isolated facial cleft lip and palate associated with increased perinatal mortality? A cohort study from the West Midlands Region, 1995–1997

Objective. To investigate the association between cleft lip and/or palate and perinatal mortality.Methods. A retrospective review was performed of cases of cleft lip/palate born to West Midlands residents from 1995 to 1997. Perinatal mortality for identified cases was compared with all births from 1995 to 1997.Results. 347 cases of cleft lip and/or cleft palate were delivered from 1995 to 1997. Thirty-six pregnancies were terminated due to parental wishes - 2 were registerable births. There were 310 spontaneous registerable births (stillbirths/livebirths) with cleft lip and/or palate and 1 further late fetal loss. In 220 (70.5%), the lesion was isolated. Of these, there were 7 perinatal deaths, 5 had post mortems and no additional anomalies were identified. In 92 (29.5%) cases other abnormalities were identified. The overall perinatal mortality rate (PNMR) in the West Midlands, was 10.0/1000 total births. The overall PNMR for babies with facial clefts was 89.7/1000 total births. The PNMR for those with as...