RISK FACTORS OF CLEFT LIP AND PALATE IN GEORGIA.

A case-control study was conducted to reveal risk factors for cleft lip and palate. The main group consisted of 41mothers of infants with orofacial clefts (cleft lip and/or palate) who were born in Tbilisi maternity houses during 2015-2016. The control group was composed of 61 mothers who have given birth to healthy babies in the same maternity houses. Information on possible risk factors was collected using a special form. In order to evaluate a role of these risk factors, bivariate analysis was conducted at the first stage of the study. Odds ratio (OR) was calculated for each factor, significance of the results was evaluated by calculating 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). At the next stage of the study the factors significantly correlated with the development of orofacial clefts were identified and multivariate analysis was performed using a multiple logistic regression model. According to the study results stressful situations in the families of pregnant women play the most significant role in the development of cleft lip and palate with standardized (adjusted) OR=7.76, 95% CI: 1.93-31.33. Other risk factors such as contracting infectious or noncommunicable diseases during the first trimester of pregnancy as well as use of medications during this period have some impact on the development of these malformations (OR=2.10, 95% CI: 0.77-5.70; OR=2.88, 95% CI: 0.83-9.97 and OR=2.22, 95% CI: 0.77-10.41, correspondingly).