Medical Anthropology, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
J Biosoc Sci. 2011 Jan;43(1):65-73. doi: 10.1017/S0021932010000477. Epub 2010 Sep 17.
Consanguinity has been shown to increase homozygosity and to reduce genetic variation in a group, which may protect against the expression of recessive genes that can lead to genetic disorders. Consanguineous marriages are practised widely in Kuwait. The major aim of this study is to delineate the association of consanguineous marriages with congenital disabilities in different Kuwaiti population subcultures. A total of 9104 married Kuwaiti females aged 15-79 years from different backgrounds were selected at ten primary health care centres from six governorates in Kuwait. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analysed with chi-squared tests. The data indicate significant differences in the occurrence of genetic diseases in consanguineous couples' offspring (4.88%) compared with those of non-consanguineous couples (4.13%) (p<0.002). The results also show significant differences in frequencies of genetic/environmental diseases in consanguineous couples' offspring (8.59%) compared with those of non-consanguineous couples (8.23%) (p<0.005). No significant differences between the two groups regarding environmental diseases were observed. A higher frequency of genetic diseases was found in first- (6.97%; p<0.001), second- (6.78%; p<0.001) and third-cousin (6.46%; p<0.022) couples' offspring compared with those of non-consanguineous couples. The frequency of congenital disabilities in the offspring of couples from consanguineous marriages (2.9%) is higher than that in the offspring of non-consanguineous marriages (2.3%). But this difference is not significant at the 0.05 level. First-cousin marriages have the highest frequency (3.5%) of congenital disabilities compared with other kinds of marriages (2.1-2.3%). Differences across groups are significant (p<0.036). Significant differences are found for first-cousin couples in both physical (2.37; p<0.042) and mental (0.74; p<0.037) disabilities compared with non-consanguineous couples. No significant differences were observed in deafness and blindness disabilities. The data show no significant differences between second- and third-cousin and non-consanguineous couples in physical, mental or deafness and blindness disabilities. There are no significant differences in the percentages of offspring with congenital disabilities in consanguineous and non-consanguineous marriages across sub-population groups for the total of four types of congenital disability.
血缘婚姻使群体中的同型合子增加，并降低遗传变异，这可能有助于防止隐性基因的表达，从而导致遗传疾病。在科威特，血缘婚姻很普遍。本研究的主要目的是描绘血缘婚姻与不同科威特人群中的先天性残疾之间的关系。从科威特六个省的十个初级保健中心选择了 9104 名 15-79 岁的已婚科威特女性，她们来自不同背景。使用问卷收集数据，并使用卡方检验进行分析。数据表明，血缘婚姻夫妇的子女中遗传疾病的发生率（4.88%）明显高于非血缘婚姻夫妇（4.13%）（p<0.002）。结果还表明，血缘婚姻夫妇的子女中遗传/环境疾病的发生率（8.59%）明显高于非血缘婚姻夫妇（8.23%）（p<0.005）。两组之间在环境疾病方面没有显著差异。第一（6.97%；p<0.001）、第二（6.78%；p<0.001）和第三表亲（6.46%；p<0.022）血缘婚姻夫妇的子女中遗传疾病的频率高于非血缘婚姻夫妇的子女。血缘婚姻夫妇子女的先天性残疾发生率（2.9%）高于非血缘婚姻夫妇子女（2.3%）。但在 0.05 水平上，这种差异并不显著。与其他类型的婚姻（2.1-2.3%）相比，表亲婚姻的先天性残疾发生率最高（3.5%）。各组之间的差异具有统计学意义（p<0.036）。与非血缘婚姻夫妇相比，第一表亲夫妇在身体（2.37；p<0.042）和精神（0.74；p<0.037）残疾方面存在显著差异。在耳聋和失明残疾方面没有观察到显著差异。第二表亲和第三表亲与非血缘婚姻夫妇在身体、精神或耳聋和失明残疾方面没有显著差异。在四种类型的先天性残疾中，血缘婚姻和非血缘婚姻夫妇的子女中先天性残疾的百分比在亚人群组之间没有显著差异。
