A case: control study of oro-facial clefts in Western Australia

A bstract — A case: control study was undertaken using all children with oro-facial clefts born between 1 January 1982 and 14 April 1984 and conceived in Western Australia (WA) — a total of 90 cases and 180 matched controls. Information on all cases and controls was obtained from hospital records and a postal questionnaire. A 92 per cent response rate was obtained from the mothers of affected children.
An excess of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL(P)) was confirmed for rural Western Australia and reasons for this finding proposed. Further information is presented on maternal age, parity, blood groups, paternal occupation, familial and syndromic clefts, maternal alcohol and cigarette consumption and history of previous miscarriages.