How common is cleft lip and cleft palate?

A cleft lip and cleft palate is the most common facial birth defect in Ireland, affecting around 1 in every 700 babies. However, most cleft conditions are repaired during early childhood in Ireland due to greater access of surgical intervention and high-quality medical care provided by the HSE. For many of the patients we serve, this same access to care is oftentimes nonexistent in the low- and middle-income countries where they live.