Mortality Associated with Orofacial Clefts in Brazil

Background/Objectives: Orofacial clefts are congenital anomalies that cause substan-tial morbidity and mortality. This study was performed to evaluate the mortality of Brazilian individuals who had orofacial clefts reported on their death certificates. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the De-partment of Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) from 1996 to 2023. Results: The mortality information system registered 987 deaths related to oro-facial clefts, with 880 patients under 1 year of age. There was a downward trend in an-nual mortality rates from 1996 to 2019, followed by an increase from 2020 to 2023. The main associated cause of death was respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. The mortality rate for infants under 1 year with orofacial clefts showed greater variation than did the mortality rate of children who died of other causes. The reduction in mor-tality rates from 1996 to 2019 occurred during the expansion and strengthening of DATASUS and its coordination with other levels of healthcare. The rise in mortality between 2020 and 2023 coincided with a reduction in surgical procedures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: This study revealed a decline in deaths from orofa-cial clefts in Brazil over several decades. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing preventable causes of death, including respiratory infections and malnutri-tion. High mortality within the first year of life—particularly among newborns under 28 days—highlights a critical shortage of pediatricians and its impact on care for indi-viduals with craniofacial anomalies.