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. 2025 May 12:34:e20240027.
doi: 10.1590/S2237-96222025v34e20240027.en. eCollection 2025.

Orofacial clefts in newborns in Brazil: a time series study, 2010-2021

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Karoline Machado Vieira  1 , Verônica Canarim Menezes  1 , Augusto César Cardoso-Dos-Santos  2 , Ana Luiza Meneguci Moreira Franco  3 , Flavia Martinez de Carvalho  3   4 , Lavinia Schuler Faccini  5 , Betine Pinto Moehlecke Iser  1   6
Affiliations

Orofacial clefts in newborns in Brazil: a time series study, 2010-2021

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Karoline Machado Vieira et al. Epidemiol Serv Saude. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To analyze distribution of orofacial cleft cases (cleft palate, cleft lip and cleft palate with cleft lip) and their temporal trend in Brazil, according to the country's regions and Federative Units from 2010 to 2021, in addition to comparing proportions during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2020 to 2021, with the preceding time series, from 2010 to 2019.

Methods: This is an epidemiological time series study, using records of all babies born with orofacial clefts held on the Live Birth Information System for the period 2010-2021. Prevalence rates were calculated according to year, regions and Federative Units. Time series analysis was performed using the Prais-Winsten generalized linear model.

Results: A total of 34,564,430 live births were recorded in the period. National prevalence of orofacial clefts was 6.73/10,000 live births (95% confidence interval [95%CI 6.64; 6.81])). The Southern region had the highest rate in the period for all types of orofacial clefts. The Northeast region and the states of Alagoas and Piauí showed a rising trend in the period for the three types of orofacial clefts. Other regions showed a stationary trend or increases/decreases in just one type of cleft. Comparing the pre-pandemic period with the pandemic period, there were no significant changes in the prevalence in the Brazilian regions.

Conclusion: Among the country's regions, for all three types of clefts, the South had the highest prevalence, and the Northeast had a rising trend. Among the Federative Units, there was an increase in the three types of clefts in Alagoas and Piauí. The COVID-19 pandemic did not influence prevalence in the period analyzed.

Objetivo: Analizar la distribución de casos y la tendencia temporal de las fisuras orofaciales (fisura del paladar, labio leporino y fisura labiopalatina) en Brasil, según regiones y unidades de la Federación, en los últimos 12 años, además de comparar proporciones durante la pandemia de COVID-19, de 2020 a 2021, con la serie histórica anterior, de 2010 a 2019.

Métodos: Se trata de un estudio epidemiológico de series temporales, utilizando registros de todos los bebés nacidos con fisuras orofaciales, del Sistema de Información de Nacidos Vivos, en el período 2010-2021. Las prevalencias se calcularon según año, regiones y unidades de la Federación. El análisis de series temporales se realizó mediante el modelo lineal generalizado de Prais-Winsten.

Resultados: Se registraron 34.564.430 nacidos vivos en el período. La prevalencia nacional de fisuras orofaciales fue de 6,73/10 mil nacidos vivos (intervalo de confianza del 95% 6,64; 6,81). El Sur tuvo la tasa más alta en el período para todos los tipos de fisuras orofaciales. La región Nordeste y las Unidades de la Federación de Alagoas y Piauí mostraron tendencia creciente en el período en los tres tipos de fisuras orofaciales. Otras regiones mostraron una tendencia estacionaria o aumentos/disminuciones en un solo tipo de fisura. Comparando el período prepandemia con el período pandémico, no hubo cambios significativos en la prevalencia de las regiones brasileñas.

Conclusión: Entre las regiones de Brasil, en los tres tipos de fisura, el Sur presentó la mayor prevalencia y el Nordeste, una tendencia creciente. Entre las unidades de la Federación, Alagoas y Piauí presentaron aumento en los tres tipos de fisuras. La pandemia de COVID-19 no influyó en las tasas de prevalencia en el período analizado.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: None to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Cleft palate average prevalence and temporal trend, by Federative Unit, per 10,000 live births (LB) (A); cleft palate annual prevalence, by region, per 10,000 live births (B). Brazil, 2010-2021 (n=9,633)
Figure 2
Figure 2. Cleft lip average prevalence and temporal trend, by Federative Unit, per 10,000 live births (LB) (A): cleft lip annual prevalence, by region, per 10,000 live births (B). Brazil, 2010-2021 (n=6,579)
Figure 3
Figure 3. Cleft palate with cleft lip average prevalence and temporal trend, by Federative Unit, per 10,000 live births (LB) (A); annual prevalence of cleft palate with cleft lip, by region, per 10,000 live births (B). Brazil, 2010-2021 (n=7,034)
Figura 1
Figura 1. Prevalência média de fenda palatina e tendência temporal, por unidade da federação, por 10 mil nascidos vivos (NV) (A); frevalência anual de fenda palatina, por região, por 10 mil nascidos vivos (B). Brasil, 2010-2021 (n=9.633)
Figura 2
Figura 2. Prevalência média de fenda labial e tendência temporal, por unidade da federação, por 10 mil nascidos vivos (NV) (A); prevalência anual de fenda labial, por região, por 10 mil nascidos vivos (B). Brasil, 2010-2021 (n=6.579)
Figura 3
Figura 3. Prevalência média de fenda labial com fenda palatina e tendência temporal, por unidade da federação, por 10 mil nascidos vivos (NV) (A); prevalência anual de fenda labial com fenda palatina, por região, por 10 mil nascidos vivos (B). Brasil, 2010-2021 (n=7.034)
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