Two decades ago we found that many societies around the globe have fairly high prevalence of cousin marriages. In Pakistan, around 59% of marriages were between cousins (first cousins or 2nd).
Article Consanguinity and child mortality: The risk faced by families
Then a few years later we asked survey respondent why there was a preference for cousin marriages? Several reasons as benefits of cousin marriages were reported.
Are cousin marriages still popular in some of the societies (e.g., Pakistan, Egypt, India)?
It is also prevailing in Iraq and many Arab countries. But the number of such marriages is decreasing drastically nowadays. Marriages among relatives has been deeply rooted in our society as a tradition but people are aware these days of the risks of diseases that can be transferred and inherited due to such marriages.
in India, it is a custom prevailing in some communities but otherwise number is decreasing rapidly.
Among the reasons cited in our follow up study, cousin marriages were preferred in Pakistan because (1) there was no religious prohibitions; (2) because the dowry demands were low in cousin marriages, which otherwise left parents financially broke; (3) traditional harassment by mother in law towards daughter in law was low; and (4) siblings arranged their children's marriages in cousin arrangements, to avoid hassle of finding matches.
Yes, cousin marriages are still prevalent around the globe. Please see the following RG link.
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Thank you @Arvind Singh. So that is relatively recent data but about a decade old. Nice resource.
Jaya Vikas Kurhekar you are right on, it is some pockets of Indian population, particularly with substantial proportions of Muslims. Is that your understanding as well?
@ Gulzar Shah
Please see the following ResearchGate link regarding distribution of consanguineous marriages in India.
Article Endogamy, consanguinity and community genetics
Accidents happens every where and Third world countries accepted and promote these practices. Regards
Both financial and social factors are thought to be responsible for the consanguineous marriage. In Pakistan, the highest rates of the consanguineous union were between Shi’a and Sunni sectors.
Recent research papers are attached, hope they will help.
Regards,
Maham Muzamil.
https://scholar.google.com.pk/scholar?as_ylo=2017&q=cousin+marriages+in+pakistan&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5#d=gs_qabs&p=&u=%23p%3Dk4o5ZP00X4MJ
Maham Muzamil thank you so much for a detailed answer. I appreciate the resources you have shared.
Concerning the harmful effects of cousin marriages, the literature suggested that in societies where cousin marriages are highly prevalent and have been so for over 7 generations, the gene pool cleans itself of genetic disorders and the risk of haramfull effects is minimum to none. For societies where cousin marriages are rare, offspring suffer a variety of genetic disorefers from cousin marriage. I am not trained in genetics but I remember gaining insights through literature. What do others think?
Not in Pakistan now cousin marriages are decreasing draisticaly now people are aware from the diseases,risk factors and genomic defects. Mostly people are avoiding cousin marriages.
Yes sir. consanguinity is still practiced in the world. specially in countries like Pakistan where eastern values still prevail consanguinity is common phenomenon. however regarding reasons, scientists stand on opposite poles. for one group major reason for this is religious orientations, while for other group cultural constraints specially caste system ia reaponsible for that.
Aftab Alam Sthanadar I greatly appreciate you sharing the research and your thoughts.
IT MUST BE STOPPED.
Marriage within close blood relation cause expression of some hidden genes having serious effects on our health.
Such marriage is not only in practice among some some Muslim or Christian communities, it is also seen among many tribes, many sections of many other communities. Prevention of division of paternal or maternal wealth was the main reason behind such practice in ancient days.
In India, marriage of girls with maternal uncle was in practice among a section of Hindu community also.
ALL SUCH MARRIAGE MUST BE STOPPED.
Thanks.
Thank you for your contribution to this discussion. Shibabrata Pattanayak
It is like any traditional marriage organized by wealthy families and landowners to preserve wealth, With the race of communication among civilizations, marriage habits by Facebook and between countries have become far apart,
To avoid to prevent the probability of developing certain hereditary diseases!
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