Effect of parental consanguinity on neonatal anthropometric measurements and preterm birth in Taif, Saudi Arabia

Consanguineous marriage and its effect on reproductive behavior and uptake of prenatal screening

“…The current literature on the effect of consanguinity on pregnancy outcomes is contradictory. Similar to the results of this study, some studies have reported no significant effects of consanguinity on the rates of abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, mortality, and congenital malformation (Belal et al, ; Gowri, Udayakumar, Bsiso, Al Farsi, & Rao, ; Islam, ; Metgud et al, ). On the other hand, numerous studies in various countries have indicated that consanguineous marriage increases the prevalence of abortions, stillbirths, low birthweights, and genetic/congenital malformations of offspring compared to non‐consanguineous marriages (Akbayram et al, ; Becker et al, ; Bellad et al, ; Kaplan et al, ; Manzoor et al, ; Oniya et al, ).…”

“…While it has declined in Western societies, consanguineous marriage is still common in North Africa, Middle East, and western Asia. Of all marriages in Turkey, 23% of them are consanguineous while rates around the region are 20% in Egypt, 30% in Iran, 40% in Afghanistan, 50% in Saudi Arabia, 55% in India, and 65% in Pakistan (Belal, Alzahrani, Alsulaimani, & Afeefy, ; Hamamy, ; Hosseini‐Chavoshi, Abbasi‐Shavazi, & Bittles, ; Islam, ; Manzoor, Imran, Maken, & Hasan Syed, ; Oniya, Neves, Ahmed, & Konje, ; Turkish Statistical Institute , ). Cultural, social, economic, and religious factors, particularly in rural areas, play a role in the prevalence of consanguineous marriage in different regions of the world (Younis et al, ).…”