Consanguinity and Its Association with Genetic Disorders and Reproductive Outcomes in Benghazi
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65421/jibas.v2i2.101Keywords:
Consanguinity, Benghazi, Genetic Disorders, Reproductive Health, Autosomal Recessive Diseases, Libya, Cross-sectional StudyAbstract
Background: Consanguinity marriage is a normal cultural practice in most Arab societies including Libya where consanguinity marriages form a considerable percentage of marriages in this nation. This practice has the propensity of causing autosomal recessive genetic conditions because the chances of shared deleterious alleles between married couples are high. Although consanguinity is socially acceptable, it is a significant public health issue since it is linked to poor reproductive and health conditions.
Purpose: This paper was undertaken to find out the prevalence of consanguinity marriage in Benghazi, Libya and to examine its relationship with reproductive outcomes and genetic health conditions among the offspring, including diseases, neonatal outcomes and abortion rates.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design was chosen. The researchers have selected a sample of 699 married couples in Benghazi. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic factors, the level of consanguinity, reproductive history, and child health outcomes. The SPSS version was used to statistically analyze the data, including descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests to determine the relationship between variables, a significant level of p < 0.05.
Key Results: The results showed that consanguinity marriage is high in Benghazi with first-cousin marriages being the most prevalent one. The statistically significant relationship between consanguinity and prevalence of genetic diseases among offspring was found (p < 0.001). Nonetheless, there was no strong correlation between consanguinity and the rates of abortion (p = 0.527). There was an increased number of health problems in consanguineous families than non-consanguineous.
Inference: Consanguinity marriage is very high in Benghazi and has a significant connection in an elevated risk of genetic diseases in offspring. Though no significant effect was noted on the rate of abortion, overall findings indicate that consanguinity negatively affects child health and this may require a combination of public health interventions, genetic counseling, and awareness.
