Cousin marriages linked to high genetic disorder risk, expert warns

In the latest episode of his show “On My Radar”, Kamran Khan shifted focus from politics and foreign policy to a major public health issue—cousin marriages. He highlighted their widespread prevalence and potential medical risks.

According to UNICEF, 750 million people worldwide are in marriages with their first cousins. The practice is especially common in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, where up to 60% of marriages are between cousins. In Pakistan, a 28-year study published in BMC Women’s Health found that 60% of marriages involved first cousins.

Khan cited ongoing research at the University of Bradford in the UK, which has been studying over 13,000 children born between 2007 and 2010. Findings show that children from cousin marriages have lower growth rates and require more medical visits than those from unrelated parents. Speech and language problems were also more common.

Dr Salman Kirmani, a medical genetics specialist at Aga Khan University Hospital, warned that cousin marriages significantly increase the risk of genetic disorders. "There are nearly 6,000 known genetic conditions, most of which are more common in cousin marriages," he said.

He explained that if both parents are carriers of a genetic disorder, there is a 25% chance their child will inherit a severe, often incurable condition. "This is a very high risk—meaning that in every pregnancy, there's a 25% chance of a serious illness," he added.

Dr Kirmani stressed the importance of genetic screening before marriage and pregnancy. "Many people now come to our clinic for genetic profiling before getting married. Early detection can help prevent certain disorders," he said. He also noted that in Islam, terminating a pregnancy in the early stages is permitted if a severe genetic disorder is detected.

Looking ahead, medical advancements could offer solutions. "In the next 5 to 10 years, most new medicines will be gene-editing based, offering targeted treatments with fewer side effects," Dr Kirmani predicted.

Khan concluded by urging families to consider the medical risks of cousin marriages and seek genetic counselling before making marital decisions.