Cleft Lip

A cleft lip is a defect (gap) between the lip and or nostril edges that may occur commonly in up to 1/1000 newborns. It may often be diagnosed on prenatal ultrasound around 20 weeks of gestation. Surgical repair of the skin, mucosa, nose, and lip muscle occur around 3-4 months of age and may require presurgical molding by a process called NAM. Good aesthetic and functional results can be obtained, however, minor revisions may be necessitated when your child is older (particularly in the nose) due to the unpredictability of facial growth.