PREVENTION
- Cleft Prevention Pregnancy Guidelines
- Folic Acid and Vitamin B12
- Cleft Lip/Palate Informational Packet and Questionnaire
If you have had a child with a cleft lip or palate, the chance of any more children you have being affected may be slightly increased. You may be offered genetic counselling to find out your chance of having another child with a cleft lip or palate. However, in most cases the most sensible approach is simply to aim to have a healthy pregnancy.
Taking a daily supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid in the month before conception and in the first two months of pregnancy can help prevent cleft lip. This is the same amount of folic acid recommended to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
Of course one should:
1. Quit smoking
2. Not drink alcohol
3. Not take medications, such as benzodiazepines.
Prevention:
-- Vitamine B
-- Folic Acid
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