Question
What causes neonatal cleft lip?
Answer
Cleft lip, colloquially referred to as ‘hare lip,’ is a congenital anomaly characterized by a split upper lip. It is one of the most common congenital oral and maxillofacial deformities, often accompanied by cleft palate. Normally, after the fifth week of fetal development, some embryonic prominences gradually fuse to form the face. If these prominences fail to develop normally, they may result in deformities, including cleft lip. Generally, cleft lip can be treated through subsequent cosmetic repair surgery.