In many cases, it is not possible for a cleft lip and palate to be prevented. However, pregnant women can do certain things to lower the risk of their child being born with a cleft lip and palate. These are described below.
Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol while pregnant
During pregnancy, maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. Ensuring that you have a healthy pregnancy will help reduce the risks of your baby developing a cleft.
See The pregnancy care planner for more information and advice on how to have a healthy pregnancy.
Folic acid supplements
The Department of Health recommends that all women should take a daily supplement of 0.4mg of folic acid before they conceive and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy while the baby's spine develops.
Some doctors also believe that taking folic acid supplements during pregnancy may reduce the risk of cleft lip and palate. However, this has not been proven in scientific studies.
