Final answer:
Cleft palate is the most frequent major congenital malformation of the head and neck, affecting about 1:2500 births with females at a higher risk, usually requiring surgical correction for proper feeding and nutrition in infants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most frequent major congenital malformation of the head and neck is a cleft palate. A cleft palate results from the failure of the two halves of the hard palate to completely come together and fuse at the midline during embryonic development. This defect affects roughly 1:2500 births and can cause significant difficulty in feeding for infants due to an inability to generate the suckling needed for nursing, leading to potential malnutrition. Surgical repair is often necessary to correct this condition. A related condition, cleft lip, occurs when the right and left portions of the upper lip fail to fuse, leaving a gap. It affects approximately 1:1000 births and is more common among males.