Orofacial clefts are common congenital anomalies. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence in Western Slovakia. The study material were the case records of infants from the Bratislava and Western Slovakia regions, born between 1985 and 2000, and operated on in the Department of Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Commenius University, General Hospital Ružinov, in Bratislava. Of 409,205 live births in this period, 670 children were born with OC (orofacial clefts) and operated in the abovementioned department. This study found a total incidence of 1.64/1000 live births. Compared to the Western Slovakia region, the incidence was higher in Bratislava. Of the different types of OC, CLP was the commonest, with a male preponderance of OC at the rate of 1.16:1. The available data showed significant differences of clefts in some of the studied districts, which could be a base for an intensive follow-up of endemic (genetic and exogenous) factors.

        Key words: cleft lip, cleft lip and palate, cleft palate, incidence