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PREVALENCE OF CONSANGUINEOUS MARRIAGES IN SOUTH SINAI, EGYPT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 May 2012

G. YAMAMAH ,
E. ABDEL-RAOUF ,
A. TALAAT ,
A. SAAD-HUSSEIN ,
H. HAMAMY  and
N. A. MEGUID
G. YAMAMAH
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, National Research Centre (NRC), Egypt
E. ABDEL-RAOUF
Affiliation:
Department of Research on Children with Special Needs (NRC), Egypt
A. TALAAT
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, National Research Centre (NRC), Egypt
A. SAAD-HUSSEIN
Affiliation:
Departments of Environmental and Occupational Medicine (NRC), Egypt
H. HAMAMY
Affiliation:
Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Geneva University Hospital, Switzerland
N. A. MEGUID
Affiliation:
Department of Research on Children with Special Needs (NRC), Egypt
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Summary

A total of 3961 married couples from six major geographical areas representing the South Sinai governorates in Egypt were studied to assess the rate of consanguineous marriage. The population of six selected areas (St Catherines, Nuweiba, Abu Rudeis, Ras Sudr, El Tor and Abu Zenima) were subdivided into Bedouin, urban and mixed populations. A questionnaire-based interview was conducted showing that the consanguinity rate in this region is 37.5%, with the highest rate recorded in Abu Rudeis (52.3%) and lowest rate in Nuweiba (24.1%). Consanguinity was significantly higher among the Bedouin population compared with the urban population in Abu Rudeis, Ras Sudr, El Tor and Abu Zenima, while in St Catherines and Nuweiba there was no statistically significant difference. Among consanguineous couples, 5%, 60% and 35% were double first cousins, first cousins and second cousins respectively. The mean inbreeding coefficient α of the studied population was 0.01845.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 45 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 31 - 39
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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