Many people are concerned about genetic diseases resulting from consanguineous marriage, as many rumours spread about this topic.
The legality of this marriage also differs from one country to another, although it is prohibited and prohibited in a number of countries or cities, such as North Korea, China, and a number of From the states of American states, for fear of genetic diseases resulting from consanguineous marriage, but cities and other countries encourage this marriage with the aim of strengthening family ties, or preserving inheritance, for example.
But what are the real harms of consanguineous marriage? What are genetic diseases?
We answer these questions and many more in the following lines, but we should know what is meant by inbreeding first.
What is meant by it is the marriage between two people who are related by kinship or family bond, or it is the marriage of first, second or third cousins, as shown below:
- First cousins: They are the children of the father's or mother's brother or the father's cousins.
- Second cousins are the children of the father's or mother's first cousins' brother's children.
Disadvantages of consanguineous marriage
Despite the fact that these risks are exaggerated in inbreeding letters, and despite the increase in the rates of consanguineous marriage, especially among immigrants, as 10% of the world’s population is born to parents with a family link, especially in Asian and East African countries, some studies and research have proven An increase in the risk of some diseases and The mortality rates in these marriages increased by 3 to 4%.
There are also a number of genetic diseases resulting from consanguineous marriages, as the likelihood of children suffering from mood diseases such as anxiety and depression is higher than that of children from fathers who are not. Three times more relatives.
The probability of rare diseases arising in children from close relatives also increases, as well as the risk of disease varies according to the degree of kinship.
The possibility of genetic diseases resulting from first-degree relatives marriage is more than second-degree, due to the high shared genes and the percentage of DNA.
The probability of a child being born with a congenital defect is 2 to 3 per cent in normal cases, while that percentage increases to 4 to 6 per cent for children when their parents are close relatives, but the percentage decreases when the fathers are second cousins compared to the first degree.
Therefore, relatives who intend to marry are always advised to go to the specialized doctor and perform some necessary tests to ensure their safety and the possibility of having children with these diseases, such as the analysis of inbreeding, which are tests that are carried out before marriage, and other tests that the doctor may request.
Diseases caused by inbreeding
They are diseases resulting from a defect in the genetic makeup of an individual, and it may be a defect in one gene or a defect in an entire chromosome. The following are some examples of these diseases:
- Immunodeficiency disorder is a condition in which the body's immunity and ability to resist bacterial or viral invasion is weakened, causing frequent diseases and viral or bacterial infections. High blood pressure in children.
- Down Syndrome is a delay in the physical and mental development of a person who has distinctive morphological characteristics and occurs due to the presence of an extra copy of the twenty-first chromosome.
- Protein-C and Protein-S Deficiency, are vitamin K-dependent glycoproteins, which are present in the blood and are responsible for clotting.
- Beta-Thalassemia is a blood disorder that causes low levels of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen to all cells of the body, and carries iron in the blood.
- Low birth weight.
- And other genetic diseases resulting from inbreeding.
In conclusion, it is possible to get genetic diseases resulting from inbreeding, but they occur in a much smaller percentage than what is rumoured about them.Therefore, it is always recommended to consult doctors and specialists to ensure medical information, and to conduct the necessary tests before marrying a relative in anticipation of fetal abnormalities or diseases that may occur. other hereditary.
Comments
Post a Comment