Premium
THE EFFECTS OF ZERO POPULATION GROWTH ON THE INCIDENCE OF CLEFT LIP AND PALATE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Author(s) -
Brogan W. F.,
Murphy B. P.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1978.tb107783.x
Subject(s) - incidence (geometry) , demography , fertility , population , abortion , medicine , dentistry , birth control , orthodontics , pregnancy , research methodology , family planning , biology , mathematics , sociology , genetics , geometry
A total of 613 cases of cleft lip, cleft palate, and combinations of both (CLP(P)) has been ascertained in the period from 1958 to 1975 in Western Australia. Near‐total ascertainment of cases during this period was obtained from multiple sources. There has been a significant decline in the total incidence and the cleft lip and palate (CLP) incidence in males. The hypothesis is presented that these changes are linked to the changing fertility pattern throughout Australia (as technological improvements are made in the simplicity and efficacy of birth control), and abortion (as social attitudes change); and as the birthrate drops towards zero population growth (ZPG). The paper presents two critical observations: (i) the link between CLP(P) incidence, and demographic changes; (ii) the differing behaviour of cleft lip (CL) and CLP, which were previously regarded as linked conditions.