epidemiological study on consanguineous marriage among suburban population in Alexandria

ABSTRACT

A survey was carried out on the 1056 households in 3 randomly selected suburban areas in Alexandria [Ghon, Nahaat and Ezbat El-Nesha]. A questionnaire interview was conducted with married females in these households to determine the pattern and frequency of consanguinity and to study their knowledge about causes and effects of consanguineous marriages. Of the 1018 investigated matings 29.78% were consanguineous with an average inbreeding coefficient of 0.0139. First cousins marriages constituted around two third of them. Throughout the last 50 years, change in the tend of consanguineous marriages was not statistically significant. Age at marriage was younger in consanguineous marriages than remote ones. Sharing traditions and customs together with lower cost of marriage among relatives were reported to be the 2 leading causes of consanguineous marriages. While, only 11.79% of the studied females knew that consanguineous marriage is harmful, more than two fifths reported that it has no effect on offsprings