Background: Consanguinity refers to the biological relation between husband and wife. Consanguinity increases the probabilities of reproductive wastage, adverse perinatal outcomes and genetic disorders.
Objective: To investigate the effect of consanguineous marriage on reproductive wastage and adverse perinatal outcomes.
Methodology: This research study was conducted at Private Perinatal Diagnosis Clinic (PDC) in Cairo, Egypt. The data were retrieved from medical records of couples who attended the Clinic from the period of 2019 to 2023. Couples had a previous pregnancy wastage experience and came for pregnancy follow up and /or counseling as well. All completed medical records were included in the study. The data included socio-demographic characteristics of couples, history of consanguineous marriage, degree of consanguinity, duration of marriage, reproductive history, and history of unfavorable reproductive outcomes.
Results: History of consanguinity was reported among 49.7 % of the studied records. First cousin consanguinity was the highest (64.8%) among them, followed by 2nd cousin consanguinity (20.3%). The highest percentage of university education was reported among non-consanguineous group (57.6%) of husbands and (54.6%) of wives compared to consanguineous group (31.1% of husbands and 27.2% of wives). Consanguineous couples reported a higher proportion of pregnancy wastage (stillbirths 24%, and congenital malformation, 61.7%) and adverse reproductive outcomes including early and late neonatal deaths (26.2%and 10% respectively), infant deaths (19.6%), child deaths (14.3%), compared to non- consanguineous couples.
Conclusion: Reproductive wastage and adverse perinatal outcomes have a linkage to consanguineous marriage. Therefore, couples with pregnancy wastage problems need comprehensive follow up during pregnancy with health education tailored for them. Also, establishment of a national awareness program about the risk of consanguineous marriage with enforced application of premarital and preconception screening are strongly recommended.