It is not currently understood what causes cleft lip and palate, although it is suspected to be a mixture of things including genetics, environmental influences and lifestyle factors. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are conducting a National Birth Defects Prevention Study which is a collasal undertaking that includes nine U.S. states, thousands of babies and will span up to 10 or more years. It is the largest single study of its kind and promises to give us new information about multiple birth defects, including cleft lip and palate.
The following states are participating in this study:
Arkansas
California
Georgia
Iowa
Massachusetts
New York
North Carolina
Texas
Utah
We were contacted by the CDC to participate in this study and have completed the first half – the questionnaire. We will also be collecting cheek samples from everyone in the house and sending them out for analysis. I hope this means that Emily and Ana will not ever have to worry about having a child with a cleft, or any other birth defect for that matter. I had originally posted a link that people could follow to contact the CDC about this study. However, the CDC has since notified me that people cannot volunteer to be in this study as I’d originally thought, but must be contacted by the CDC to participate. Ah well – if you hear from them, give them a break and participate. It is for the greater good, after all.
Hey Jackie, I went to the website, and it’s not real obvious as to where or how to sign up. LOL. Am I just blind?!?!? I wouldn’t mind participating in the study, seeing how California is one of the states they are conducting research in.
Thanks!