To summarize the prenatal ultrasonic features of different types and degrees of bone defect in cleft palate.

The two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of fetuses with cleft lip, cleft palate, or submucous cleft palate diagnosed at our hospital from February 2018 to October 2019 were retrospectively reviewed and compared with the results obtained after birth or termination of pregnancy.

Prenatal ultrasonography and postnatal follow-up revealed 47 cases of cleft lip and palate,3 cases of isolated cleft palate, and 2 case of submucous cleft palate. The interruption of the alveolar ridge could be detected prenatally in all cleft alveolar cases, in which 97.9% were consistent with the postpartum examination. Approximately 78.4% of the complete cleft alveolar cases showed alveolar dislocation, and 89.2% had the nasal septum. The interruption of the horizontal plate of the band-shaped palate could be detected in all the cases of cleft secondary palate, and 88.2% had the nasal septum. In complete cleft hard palate cases, arc-shaped echoes of the hard and soft palate could not be seen, while short hyperechoic hard palate could be seen without the soft palate in partial cleft hard palate. However, arc-shaped echoes of the hard and soft palate could still be detected in submucosal cleft palate.

Two-dimensional combined with three-dimensional ultrasound can be used to assess the type and degree of bone defects in cleft alveolus and secondary palate to provide more information for prenatal consultation.