Experts have identified a genetic trait which triples the risk of a baby having a cleft palate in families where a child is already affected. US researchers said the discovery means it could be possible to screen parents to see if further children are likely to be affected. They said it would also have important implications for offering families genetic counselling. The research is published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The team studied the DNA of 1,968 families - around 8,000 people - with a history of isolated clefts, from 10 countries. They discovered nine variations, called single nucleotide polymorphisms, (SNPs), in and around the IRF6 gene, which acted as genetic signposts of cleft lip or palate risk.
