A new study by researchers at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi has found that pregnant women in Ghana who eat lots of sugary and processed foods are at much higher risk of giving birth to babies with cleft lip or cleft palate.

The study, published in Women Journal, showed that mothers with the highest intake of sweet and energy-dense foods were 22 times more likely to have children with these birth defects than those who consumed the least.

It also revealed that mothers who mainly ate starchy foods like cassava and plantain faced a four times higher risk, while diets rich in animal protein and vegetables offered some protective benefits.

“Maternal nutrition, especially before and in early pregnancy, is critical for healthy fetal development,” said Dr. Mary Amoako, lead author and lecturer at KNUST’s Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology. “Our findings show that poor diet quality, not just lack of food, can significantly raise the risk of congenital anomalies.”

The study, which involved 206 mothers, also highlighted widespread food insecurity. Nearly half of mothers of affected children reported severe food shortages.

Use of multivitamins and folic acid before pregnancy was very low, at under 15 percent, even though supplements are known to reduce risks of birth defects.

Orofacial clefts affect about one in 700 births worldwide and can cause lifelong feeding, speech, and social challenges.

The researchers are calling on policymakers to promote food fortification, supplementation, and better public education on maternal nutrition.

The work was supported by the L’Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Programme. Co-authors include Dr. Samuel Atta Tonyemevor, Dr. Lord Jephthah Joojo Gowans, Prof. Alexander Kwarteng, Dr. Collins Afriyie Appiah, Dr. Solomon Obiri-Yeboah, Dr. Daniel Kwesi Sabbah, and Prof. Peter Donkor.