Higher Chance for Oral Cleft Birth Defects

Most scientists believe oral cleft birth defects are due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. They also note that there is a greater chance of clefting in a newborn if a sibling, parent, or relative has had the problem also. However, now it is more widely known that medication, such as Topamax, can increase the chance of cleft lip and cleft palate birth defects.
If a mother takes Topamax, a drug that treats epilepsy and prevents migraines, during the first trimester of her pregnancy, there is a higher likelihood for oral cleft birth defects.

In laboratory tests involving animals, Topamax increased the chances of birth defects, low fetal weight and miscarriages. In March of 2011 the FDA issued a warning that women who become pregnant while using Topamax are as much as 16 times more likely to give birth to infants who have one or more physical defects.

Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate


Cleft lip and cleft palate are facial and oral malformations that occur very early in pregnancy. Oral cleft birth defects result when there is not enough tissue in the mouth or lip area, and the remaining tissue does not join together properly.
  • A cleft lip is a split of the two sides of the upper lip and appears as a narrow gap in the skin of the upper lip. It extends beyond the base of the nose and includes the bones of the upper jaw or upper gum.
  • A cleft palate is a split or opening in the roof of the mouth. It can involve the hard palate (front portion of the roof of the mouth), and the soft palate (back portion of the roof of the mouth).

Oral cleft birth defects, interestingly, can occur on either side of the mouth. Twice as many boys have a cleft lip, both with and without a cleft palate, and twice as many girls have cleft palate without a cleft lip. Clefting child-birth defects affect 700 babies annually, and are the fourth most common birth defect in the U.S. They occur more often in Asian, Latino, or Native American descent.

Non-Profit, Operation Smile


Since 1982, Operation Smile has provided reconstructive surgery to over 150,000 children and young adults in more than 60 countries. The non-profit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia is a children's medical charity who provide’s cleft lip and cleft palate birth defect repair surgeries to children worldwide.

Exercise Your Rights


For those who have experienced a pregnancy resulting in oral cleft birth defects and believe it was cause by a Topamax drug injury, seek legal advice from Seeger Weiss. Our drug injury lawyers are up-to-date on the FDA warning and can properly weigh your case. Contact us today.

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