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As with
all medical conditions, some congenital defects are more well-known than
others. Congenital heart defects are a wide category, encompassing many
structural anomalies. Cleft lip and cleft palate occurs when the tissue of
the upper lip or the roof of the mouth, respectively, fail to form. Today,
surgery can correct many heart defects, cleft lip, and cleft palate. Spina
bifida occurs when a cleft forms on the spinal cord, preventing it from
closing. Depending on the location of the cleft, individuals may face
partial paralysis and hydrocephalus, where fluid collects around the brain.
Club foot is a congenitally malformed foot. Finally, Down syndrome appears
as a group of symptoms, including mental retardation and facial
characteristics. It has been linked to a third 21st
chromosome.
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