Chemical exposure during pregnancy and oral clefts in newborns

• Main Authors: Isabel Cristina Gonçalves Leite, Francisco José Roma Paumgartten, Sérgio Koifman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz
• Series: Cadernos de Saúde Pública
• Subjects: cleft palate; cleft lip; hormones; risk factors
• Online Access: http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-311X2002000100003&lng=en&tlng=en

This article presents a literature review on the risk factors for oral clefts (lip and/or palate), emphasizing discussion of maternal exposure to endocrine disruptors. Several studies have identified the risk of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, use of anticonvulsivant drugs, and exposure to organic solvents. A protective effect has been shown for supplementation with folic acid. As with other chemicals, the risk associated with exposure to sex hormones is still obscure, although some authors describe a moderate risk level. New studies addressing this hypothesis need to be conducted, while the population exposed to these endocrine disrupters is increasing.