Cleft lip, unspecified
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In short
Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that occur early during pregnancy when a baby's lip or mouth do not form properly. A cleft lip is an opening in the upper lip that happens when the tissue making up the lip does not join completely before birth, while a cleft palate occurs when the tissue making up the roof of the mouth does not join correctly. Children with these conditions often experience problems with feeding and talking, and they may also have ear infections, hearing loss, and dental issues. Surgery is often performed to close the lip and palate, typically before 12 months of age for the lip and before 18 months for the palate. Many children require additional surgeries, dental care, and speech therapy as they grow, but most do well and lead a healthy life with treatment.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
AI-generated summary of the sources cited on this page, checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a clinician; not medical advice.
Codes
Description
Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that occur when a baby's lip or mouth do not form properly. They happen early during pregnancy. A baby can have a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or both.
A cleft lip happens if the tissue that makes up the lip does not join completely before birth. This causes an opening in the upper lip. The opening can be a small slit or a large opening that goes through the lip into the nose. It can be on one or both sides of the lip or, rarely, in the middle of the lip.
Children with a cleft lip also can have a cleft palate. The roof of the mouth is called the "palate." With a cleft palate, the tissue that makes up the roof of the mouth does not join correctly. Babies may have both the front and back parts of the palate open, or they may have only one part open.
Children with a cleft lip or a cleft palate often have problems with feeding and talking. They also might have ear infections, hearing loss, and problems with their teeth.
Often, surgery can close the lip and palate. Cleft lip surgery is usually done before age 12 months, and cleft palate surgery is done before 18 months. Many children have other complications. They may need additional surgeries, dental and orthodontic care, and speech therapy as they get older. With treatment, most children with clefts do well and lead a healthy life.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Next to it in ICD-10
- Q07Other congenital nervous system malformations
- Q18Other congenital face and neck malformations
- Q35Cleft palate, unspecified
- Q37Cleft lip and palate
- Q61Polycystic and cystic kidney disease
- Q75Other congenital skull and face bone malformations
Neighbouring codes in the classification, not a medical link.
External resources
Questions
What is the ICD-10 code for Cleft lip, unspecified?
Q36 (WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision).
What is the ICD-11 code for Cleft lip, unspecified?
LA40.Z: Cleft lip, unspecified (WHO, ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics).
Sources and attribution
- ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, © World Health Organization, licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0 IGO.
- Names other than the official source titles: Anpheros translations and plain-language names, made with AI assistance and checked automatically; the source names are in English.
- Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- ICD-10 codes and titles © World Health Organization. Source: WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (2019).
Anpheros Search catalog 2026.10.5, published 17 October 2026. About the data →
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