Consanguinity and mental retardation

ABSTRACT

A cross sectional study was conducted on 420 mentally retarded children at school age [6-18 years], chosen from seven institutes for mental retardation in Cairo. The results indicated that consanguinity played an important role as a cause of mental retardation as the figure of consanguineous marriage in this study was [44.5%] and the first cousin marriage comprised [42%]. In addition there were statistical significant differences between sex, origin, social class, birth order, family history of the same condition, and mental retardation. The relationships between parental age during conception, environmental factors [teratogenic agents, chronic diseases of the mothers prenatal natal, and post natal complications] and mental retardation were found to be statistically significant among non consanguineous group. Finally, some recommendations were suggested to reduce consanguineous marriage and its sequalae of handicaping