ArticleBMC oral health2023
COVID-19 related risk factors and their association with non-syndromic orofacial clefts in five Arab countries: a case-control study.
Article in BMC oral health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cleft Lip with or without palate in seven countries with two income levels: a cross-sectional study.BMC oral health · 2026Article
- Factors affecting the use of nasoalveolar molding and feeding appliances among nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate in five countries: a cross-sectional study.European archives of paediatric dentistry : official journal of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry · 2026Article
- COVID-19 and Congenital Cleft Lip and Palate: A Systematic Review Focusing on Nonsyndromic Neonatal Outcomes.Cureus · 2026Review
- Orofacial clefts in newborns in Brazil: a time series study, 2010-2021.Epidemiologia e servicos de saude : revista do Sistema Unico de Saude do Brasil · 2025Article
- Cleft lip and palate and periconception COVID-19 infection in five arab countries.Clinical oral investigations · 2024Article
- COVID-19 vaccine and non-syndromic orofacial clefts in five arab countries. A case-control study.Clinical oral investigations · 2024Article
- Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Knowledge About Management of Cleft Lip and Palate Patients in Peruvian Dental Students: A Logistic Regression Analysis.Advances in medical education and practice · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
25 authors at 14 institutions in 5 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe environmental etiology of non-syndromic orofacial clefts (NSOFCs) is still under research. The aim of this case-control study is to assess COVID-19 associated factors that may be related to the risk of NSOFC in five Arab countries. These factors include COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 symptoms, family member or friends infected with COVID-19, stress, smoking, socioeconomic status and fear of COVID-19.
methodsThe study took place in governmental hospitals in five Arab countries from November 2020 to November 2021. Controls are matched in the month of delivery and site of recruitment. A clinical examination was carried out using LASHAL classification. Maternal exposure to medication, illnesses, supplementation, COVID-19 infection during their pregestation and 1st trimester periods were evaluated using a validated questionnaire. Maternal exposure to stress was assessed using the Life Events scale, fear of covid-19 scale, family member or friend affected with covid-19 infection, pregnancy planning and threatened abortion.
resultsThe study recruited 1135 infants (386 NSOFC and 749 controls). Living in urban areas, maternal exposure to medications 3-months pregestation, maternal exposure to any of the prenatal life events and maternal fear of COVID-19 significantly increased the risk of having a child with NSOFC. On the other hand, mothers exposed to supplementation 3-months pregestation, mothers suspected of having COVID-19 infection, family members or friends testing positive with COVID-19 significantly decreased the risk of having a child with NSOFC.
conclusionsThis study suggests that NSOFC may be associated with maternal exposure to lifetime stress and COVID-19 fear in particular, with no direct effect of the COVID-19 infection itself. This highlights the importance of providing psychological support for expecting mothers during stressful events that affect populations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the usual antenatal care.
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