Family & Society

What genetic risks are associated with marriage between close relatives?

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Close relatives are more likely to share disease-causing recessive variants. If both carry a variant causing the same autosomal-recessive condition, each pregnancy typically has a 25% chance of an affected child.

The cited review describes an approximate additional birth-defect risk of 2–3 percentage points for first cousins above a background around 2–3%. This is a population-level estimate, not a personal forecast or a claim about every disorder. Family history, repeated related marriages and the specific variants can change individual risk; seek qualified genetic counselling.

Evidence

Sources used

Academic Research · 2012

Consanguineous marriages: Preconception consultation in primary health care settings

Journal of Community Genetics

Review published online in November 2011, July 2012 issue. Gives approximate population-level excess birth-defect risks; individual risks require family history and clinical counselling.

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Academic Research · 2021

Genetic counseling and screening of consanguineous couples and their offspring practice resource: Focused Revision

Journal of Genetic Counseling

2021 NSGC expert practice resource and focused revision, not an evidence-based clinical practice guideline or a Pakistan prevalence study.

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