INTRODUCTION
Cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CLP) is a common congenital disability. They exist either in combination with one or more other anomalies (syndromic cleft) or in isolation (non-syndromic cleft). Non-syndromic CL/P is more common as it is present in about 70% of cases, out of which 80% are sporadic, and 20% are familial.1 CLP which is commoner in males, occurs in 1 out of 300 to 2500 births, while isolated cleft palate (CP) which occurs more frequently in females, occurs in 1 out of 1500 births2.3. People with cleft lip and palate often require multidisciplinary care involving several surgical repairs commencing in the first year of life, orthodontic interventions for malocclusion, speech therapy, treatment of recurrent middle ear infections, and psychological interventions. These have been noted to contribute a significant burden to the patient, family, and society at large. Thus, an intense effort has been made to unravel its aetiology, which would be important in genetic counselling, risk prediction, and overall prevention of cleft lip and palate4
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