“We don’t know for sure what causes cleft lip and palate. They may be caused by a combination of things, like genes and things in your environment, like what you eat or drink and medicines you take. Genes are parts of your body’s cells that store instructions for the way your body grows and works. Genes are passed from parents to children.”

March of Dimes (https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/birth/cleft-lip-and-cleft-palate)