Background:　Previous　studies　have　investigated　the　relationship　between　human　bone　morphogenetic　protein　4　gene　(BMP4)　rs17563　polymorphism　and　nonsyndromic　cleft　lip　with　or　without　cleft　palate　(NSCL/P).　However,　the　results　remained　inconsistent.　Therefore,　we　conducted　a　meta-analysis　to　assess　the　effect　of　BMP4　rs17563　polymorphism　on　NSCL/P.　Methods:　Electronic　searches　in　5　databases　were　conducted　to　select　all　eligible　studies　up　to　March　2017.　Odds　ratios　(ORs)　with　the　corresponding　95%　confidence　intervals　(CIs)　were　calculated　to　estimate　the　association.　Sensitivity　analysis　was　performed　to　evaluate　the　results　stability　by　excluding　each　study　in　turn.　Publication　bias　was　assessed　by　Begg　funnel　plots　and　Egger　test.　Results:　A　total　of　11　case-control　studies　were　included　in　the　meta-analysis.　The　pooled　frequency　of　the　minor　allele　C　for　BMP4　rs17563　was　lower　in　Asians　(pooled　frequency=0.33,　95%　CI:　0.29-0.37)　than　in　Brazilian　population　(pooled　frequency=0.47,　95%　CI:　0.40-0.54).　The　overall　results　showed　no　significant　association　of　BMP4　rs17563　polymorphism　with　NSCL/P　risk.　However,　the　results　turned　out　to　be　different　when　stratified　by　ethnicity.　BMP4　rs17563　polymorphism　was　associated　with　a　higher　risk　of　NSCL/P　among　Asian　ethnicity　(C　vs　T:　OR=1.33,　95%　CI:　1.02-1.73;　CC　vs　TT:　OR=2.10,　95%　CI:　1.28-3.43;　CC　vs　TT+TC:　OR=2.16,　95%　CI:　1.34-3.47)　and　among　Caucasian　population　(TC　vs　TT:　OR=3.36,　95%　CI:　2.03-5.54;　TC+CC　vs　TT:　OR=3.71,　95%　CI:　2.43-5.69).　Among　Brazilian　population,　BMP4　rs17563　polymorphism　exerted　a　significantly　protective　effect　on　NSCL/P　(C　vs　T:　OR=0.70,　95%　CI:　0.58-0.84;　CC　vs　TT:　OR=0.54,　95%　CI:　0.33-0.88;　TC　vs　TT:　OR=0.55,　95%　CI:　0.44-0.69;　TC+CC　vs　TT:　OR=0.56,　95%　CI:　0.45-0.69).　Conclusion:　The　results　suggest　that　the　C　allele　of　BMP4　rs17563　may　be　a　risk　factor　for　NSCL/P　among　Asians　and　Caucasians,　and　may　be　a　protective　factor　for　NSCL/P　in　Brazilian　population.　Future　large-sample　studies　with　appropriate　designs　among　specific　populations　are　warranted　to　evaluate　the　association.