Orofacial clefts and cardiovascular risk and diseases: The causal relationship and associations

Abstract

There is a complex interplay between orofacial clefts (OFCs) or cleft of the lip and palate and cardiovascular risk factors and cardiac diseases.  The presence of maternal cardiovascular risk factors serves as a potent predisposing factor to the development of OFCs during foetal development in addition to the fact that various congenital anomalies are associated with OFCs either in syndromic or non-syndrome  relationship. This article narratively explores this complex interplay, which is not uncommon.