Objectives: To determine the birth prevalence of cleft lip and palate (CL +/- P) in the municipality of Sucre, Bolivia. To ascertain whether the birth prevalence in this region differs significantly from birth prevalence reported in similar populations and other racial groups.
Results: Twenty-eight clefts were identified among 22,746 live births between the years 1995 and 2001 in three maternity hospitals in the city. The total birth prevalence of CL +/- P was 1.23/1000 live births per year. There were 12 clefts of the lip alone (birth prevalence 0.53/1000 per year), 15 cleft lip and palate (0.66/1000 per year), and one cleft palate only (0.04/1000 per year).
Conclusions: The birth prevalence was not significantly different from birth prevalence published previously in South American populations, although it is lower than previously published data from Bolivia. The birth prevalence of CL +/- P in this South American population was similar to published data in white subjects and between those found in black and oriental groups. The sex ratio and birth prevalence of simultaneous congenital malformations also did not differ from previously published figures.