close
Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Feb 9;16(2):e53888.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.53888. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Consanguineous Marriage and Its Association With Genetic Disorders in Saudi Arabia: A Review

Affiliations
Review

Consanguineous Marriage and Its Association With Genetic Disorders in Saudi Arabia: A Review

Abdullah M Khayat et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Consanguineous marriages, where spouses are related by blood, have been a longstanding practice in human history. The primary medical concern with consanguineous marriages is the increased risk of genetic disorders. When closely related individuals reproduce, there is a higher probability that both parents carry the same genetic mutation. In Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia, the rate of consanguineous marriage is high compared with Western European and Asian countries. This high rate is directly proportionate with elevated risk of genetic disorders, including congenital heart diseases, renal diseases, and rare blood disorders. Additionally, it was noted that the rate of negative postnatal outcomes is higher in consanguineous marriages compared with the general population. These observations indicate the necessity of tackling this area and highlighting the consequences of this practice. In this review, we aim to discuss the current evidence regarding the association between consanguineous marriages and genetic disorders in Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: congenital heart diseases (chds); consanguineous marriage; genetic disorders; renal diseases; saudi arabia.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Consanguinity rates in the Middle East and North Africa
Image credits: Noha Farouk Tashkandi

References

    1. Consanguinity and its relevance to clinical genetics. Shawky RM, Elsayed SM, Zaki ME, Nour El-Din SM, Kamal FM. Egypt J Med Hum Genet. 2013;14:157–164.
    1. Effects of consanguinity in a cohort of subjects with certain genetic disorders in Qatar. Ben-Omran T, Al Ghanim K, Yavarna T, El Akoum M, Samara M, Chandra P, Al-Dewik N. Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2020;8:0. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Consanguineous marriages: preconception consultation in primary health care settings. Hamamy H. J Community Genet. 2012;3:185–192. - PMC - PubMed
    1. The impact of consanguinity on human health and disease with an emphasis on rare diseases. Temaj G, Nuhii N, Sayer JA. J Rare Dis. 2022;1:2.
    1. Genetic testing and genomic analysis: a debate on ethical, social and legal issues in the Arab world with a focus on Qatar. El Shanti H, Chouchane L, Badii R, Gallouzi IE, Gasparini P. J Transl Med. 2015;13:358. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources