Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Endogamy and Consanguineous Marriage in Arab Populations

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Genetic Disorders Among Arab Populations

Abstract

Arabs are a Semitic people basically defined as individuals speaking Arabic as their native tongue, although with many different dialects, who self-identify as being of Arab ancestry. The Arab world extends from Iraq and the Gulf States in the east to Morocco and Mauritania on the Atlantic coast of North Africa in the west, and through time it has incorporated many populations with ancestral origins outside the Arabian Peninsula. Large Arab communities are now permanent residents in Western Europe, North and South America, and Australia, and so the global Arab population is estimated to number 300–350 million (Hamamy and Bittles 2009).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abdulrazzaq YM, Bener A, Al-Gazali LI, Al-Khayat AI, Micallef R, Gaber T (1997) A study of possible deleterious effects of consanguinity. Clin Genet 51:167–173

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abolfotouh MA, Nofal LM, Safwat H (1990) Growth and nutritional status of preschool children attending the well-baby clinics. J Egypt Public Health Assoc 65:485–507

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abu-Rabia S, Maroun L (2005) The effect of consanguineous marriage on reading disability in the Arab community. Dyslexia 11:1–21

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed AH (1979) Consanguinity and schizophrenia in Sudan. Brit J Psychiat 134:635–636

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al Aqeel A (2007) Islamic ethical framework for research into and prevention of genetic diseases. Nat Gen 39:1293–1298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al Arrayed S (1994) Consanguinity in the state of Bahrain. In: El-Hazmi MAF (ed) Medical genetics in the setting of Middle Eastern populations. King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, pp 97–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Al Arrayed S (2005) Campaign to control genetic blood diseases in Bahrain. Community Genet 8:52–55

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al Hosani H, Salah M, Abu-Zeid H, Farag HM, Saade D (2005) The national congenital anomalies register in the United Arab Emirates. East Mediterr Health J 11:690–699

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • al Husain M, al Bunyan M (1997) Consanguineous marriages in a Saudi population and the effect of inbreeding on prenatal and postnatal mortality. Ann Trop Paediatr 17:155–160

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Aama JY, Al-Nabulsi BK, Alyousef MA, Asiri NA, Al-Blewi M (2008) Knowledge regarding the national premarital screening program among university students in western Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J 29:1649–1653

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • al-Abdulkareem AA, Ballal SG (1998) Consanguineous marriage in an urban area of Saudi Arabia: rates and adverse health effects on the offspring. J Commun Health 23:75–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • al-Ansari A (1993) Etiology of mild mental retardation among Bahraini children: a community-based case control study. Ment Retard 31:140–143

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Awadi S, Moussa MA, Naguib KK, Farag TI, Teebi AS, el-Khalifa M, el-Dossary L (1985) Consanguinity among the Kuwaiti population. Clin Genet 27:483–486

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Awadi SA, Naguib KK, Moussa MA, Farag TI, Teebi AS, el-Khalifa MY (1986) The effect of consanguineous marriages on reproductive wastage. Clin Genet 29:384–388

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Albar M (1999) Counselling about genetic disease: an Islamic perspective. East Mediterr Health J 5:1129–1133

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Albar M (2002) Ethical considerations in the prevention and management of genetic disorders with special emphasis on religious considerations. Saudi Med J 23:627–632

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • al-Bustan SA, el-Zawahri MM, al-Adsani AM, Bang RL, Ghunaim I, Maher BS, Weinberg S, Marazita ML (2002) Epidemiological and genetic study of 121 cases of oral clefts in Kuwait. Orthod Craniofac Res 5:154–160

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • al-Eissa YA (1995) Febrile seizures: rate and risk factors of recurrence. J Child Neurol 10:315–319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • al-Eissa YA, Ba'Aqeel HS, Haque KN (1991) Low birthweight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: incidence and risk factors. Ann Trop Paediatr 11:75–82

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alfi O, Chang R, Azen S (1980) Evidence for genetic control of nondisjunction in man. Am J Hum Genet 32:477–483

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Gazali LI (1998) A genetic aetiological survey of severe childhood deafness in the United Arab Emirates. J Trop Ped 44:157–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Gazali LI, Dawodu AH, Sabarinathan K, Varghese M (1995) The profile of major congenital abnormalities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) population. J Med Genet 32:7–13

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Gazali LI, Bener A, Abdulrazzaq YM, Micaleff R, Al-Khayat GT (1997) Consanguineous marriages in the United Arab Emirates. J Biosoc Sci 29:491–497

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Gazali LI, Sztriha L, Dawodu A, Bakir M, Varghese M, Varady E, Scorer J, Abdulrazzaq YM, Bener A, Padmanabhan R (1999) Pattern of central nervous system anomalies in a population with a high rate of consanguineous marriages. Clin Genet 55:95–102

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Gazali LI, Alwash R, Abdulrazzaq YM (2005) United Arab Emirates: communities and community genetics. Community Genet 8:186–196

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Gazali L, Hamamy H, Al-Arrayad S (2006) Genetic disorders in the Arab world. Brit Med J 333:831–834

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Idrissi I, Al-Kaff AS, Senft SH (1992) Cumulative incidence of retinoblastoma in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ophthal Paediat Genet 13:9–12

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aljohar A, Ravichandran K, Subhani S (2008) Pattern of cleft lip and palate in hospital-based population in Saudi Arabia: retrospective study. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 45:592–596

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alkuraya FS, Kilani RA (2001) Attitude of Saudi families affected with hemoglobinopathies towards prenatal screening and abortion and the influence of religious ruling (Fatwa). Prenat Diagn 21:448–461

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Salem M, Rawashdeh N (1993) Consanguinity in North Jordan: prevalence and pattern. J Biosoc Sci 25:553–556

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-sharbati MM, Al-Hussaini AA, Anthony SX (2003) Profile of child and adolescent psychiatry in Oman. Saudi Med J 24:391–395

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Thakeb FT (1985) The Arab family and modernity: evidence from Kuwait. Curr Anthropol 26:575–580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alwan A, Modell B (1997) Community control of genetic and congenital disorders, EMRO Technical Publications 24. World Health Organization, Alexandra

    Google Scholar 

  • Alwan A, Modell B (2003) Recommendations for introducing genetics services in developing countries. Nat Rev Genet 4:61–68

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Asindi A, Shehri A (2001) Neural tube defects in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med 21:26–29

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Assaf S, Khawaja M (2009) Consanguinity trends and correlates in the Palestinian Territories. J Biosoc Sci 41:107–124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Assaf S, Khawaja M, DeJong J, Mahfoud Z, Yunis K (2009) Consanguinity and reproductive wastage in the Palestinian territories. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 23:107–115

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Attias J, Al-Masri M, Abukader L, Cohen G, Merlov P, Pratt H, Othman-Jebara R, Aber P, Raad F, Noyek A (2006) The prevalence of congenital and early-onset hearing loss in Jordanian and Israeli infants. Int J Audiol 45:528–536

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Basel-Vanagaite L, Taub E, Halpern GJ, Drasinover V, Magal N, Davodov B, Zlotogora J, Shohat M (2007) Genetic screening for autosomal recessive nonsyndromic mental retardation in an isolated population in Israel. Eur J Hum Genet 15:250–253

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bashi J (1977) Effects of inbreeding on cognitive performance. Nature 266:440–442

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bassili A, Mokhtar SA, Dabous NI, Zaher SR, Mokhtar MM, Zaki A (2000) Risk factors for congenital heart diseases in Alexandria, Egypt. Eur J Epidemiol 16:805–814

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Becker SM, Al Halees Z, Molina C, Paterson RM (2001) Consanguinity and congenital heart disease in Saudi Arabia. Am J Med Genet 99:8–13

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benallègue A, Kedji F (1984) Consanguinité et santé publique: Etude algérienne. Arch Fr Pediatr 41:435–440

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bener A, Alali KA (2006) Consanguineous marriage in a newly developed country: the Qatari population. J Biosoc Sci 38:239–246

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bener A, Abdulrazzaq YM, Al-Gazali LI, Micallef R, Al-Khayat AI, Gaber T (1996) Consanguinoity and associated socio-demographic factors in the United Arab Emirates. Hum Hered 46:256–264

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bittar Z (1998) Major congenital malformations presenting in the first 24 hours of life in 3865 consecutive births in south of Beirut. Incidence and pattern. J Med Liban 46:256–260

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bittles AH (1995) When cousins marry: consanguineous marriage in the Middle East. Perspect Hum Biol 1:71–83

    Google Scholar 

  • Bittles AH (2001) Consanguinity and its relevance to clinical genetics. Clin Genet 60:89–98

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bittles AH (2005) Endogamy, consanguinity and community disease profiles. Commun Genet 8:17–20

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bittles AH (2008) A community genetics perspective on consanguineous marriage. Commun Genet 11:324–330

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bittles AH, Grant JC, Sullivan S, Hussain R (2002a) Does inbreeding lead to decreased human fertility? Ann Hum Biol 29:111–131

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bittles AH, Petterson BA, Sullivan S, Hussain R, Glasson EJ, Montgomery PD (2002b) The influence of intellectual disability on life expectancy. J Gerontol A: Biol Sci Med Sci 57A:M470–M472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bromiker R, Glam-Baruch M, Gofin R, Hammerman C, Amitai Y (2004) Association of parental consanguinity with congenital malformations among Arab newborns in Jerusalem. Clin Genet 66:63–66

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chaabouni H (1999) Étude epidemiologique et genetique de la trisomie 21 en Tunisie. Tunisie Mé 77:407–414

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chaabouni-Bouhamed H (2008) Tunisia: communities and community genetics. Community Genet 11:313–323

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chaleby K (1988) Traditional Arabian marriages and mental health in a group of outpatient Saudis. Acta Psychiatr Scand 77:139–142

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chaleby K, Tuma TA (1987) Cousin marriages and schizophrenia in Saudi Arabia. Brit J Psychiatr 150:547–549

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christianson A, Howson C, Modell B (2006) Global report on birth defects. The hidden toll of dying and disabled children. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, White Plains, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • COSIT, Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology (2005) Iraq living conditions survey 2004, vol. II: Analytical Report. Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation, Baghdad

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawodu A, Al-Gazali L, Varady E, Varghese M, Nath K, Rajan V (2005) Genetic contribution to high neonatally lethal malformation rate in the United Arab Emirates. Community Genet 8:31–34

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Denic S (2003) Consanguinity as a risk factor for cervical carcinoma. Med Hypoth 60:321–324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Denic S, Bener A (2001) Consanguinity decreases risk of breast cancer – cervical cancer unaffected. Brit J Cancer 85:1675–1679

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Denic S, Bener A, Sabri S, Khatib F, Milenkovic J (2005) Parental consanguinity and risk of breast cancer: a population-based case-control study. Med Sci Monit 11:CR415–CR419

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Denic S, Frampton C, Nicholls MG (2007) Risk of cancer in an inbred population. Cancer Detect Prev 31:263–269

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eapen V, Al-Gazali L, Bin-Othman S, Abou-Saleh M (1998) Mental health problems among schoolchildren in United Arab Emirates: prevalence and risk factors. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatr 37:880–886

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El Mouzan MI, Al Salloum AA, Al Herbish AS, Qurachi MM, Al Omar AA (2008) Consanguinity and major genetic disorders in Saudi children: a community-based cross-sectional study. Ann Saudi Med 28:169–173

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Badramany MH, Farag TI, Al-Awadi SA, Teebi AS (1997) Psychosocial and medical aspects of genetic counseling among Arabs: the example of Kuwait. In: Teebi AS, Farag TI (eds) Genetic disorders among Arab populations, vol 1. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 474–486

    Google Scholar 

  • Eldahdah L, Ormond K, Nassar A, Khalil T, Zahed L (2007) Outcome of chromosomally abnormal pregnancies in Lebanon: obstetricians’ roles during and after prenatal diagnosis. Prenat Diagn 27:525–534

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elder MJ, De Cock R (1993) Childhood blindness in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip: prevalence, aetiology and hereditary factors. Eye 7:580–583

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Hazmi MA (2006) Pre-marital examination as a method of prevention from blood genetic disorders. Community views. Saudi Med J 27:1291–1295

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Hazmi M (2007) Islamic teachings of bioethics in relation to the practice of medical genetics. Saudi Med J 28:1781–1787

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Hazmi M, Al-Swailem AA, Warsy A, Al-Swailem AM, Sulaimani R, Al-Meshari A (1995) Consanguinity among the Saudi Arabian population. J Med Genet 32:623–626

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Hazmi M, Al-Swailem AA, Al-Mosa NA, Al-Jarallah AA (2003) Prevalence of mental retardation among children in Saudi Arabia. East Mediterr Health J 9:6–11

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Islam MF (1976) Intergenerational conflict and the young Qatari neurotic. Ethos 4:45–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Mouzan MI, Al-Salloum AA, Al-Herbish AS, Qurachi MM, Al-Omar AA (2007) Regional variations in the prevalence of consanguinity in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J 28:1881–1884

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farag TI, Al-Awadi SA, el-Badramany MH, Aref MA, Kasrawi B, Krishna Murthy DS et al (1993) Disease profile of 400 institutionalized mentally retarded patients in Kuwait. Clin Genet 44:329–334

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farrer LA, Bowirrat A, Friedland RP, Waraska K, Korczyn AD, Baldwin CT (2003) Identification of multiple loci for Alzheimer loci in a consanguineous Israeli-Arab community. Hum Mol Genet 12:415–422

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freundlich E, Hino N (1984) Consanguineous marriage among rural Arabs in Israel. Isr J Med Sci 20:1035–1038

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gev D, Roguin N, Freundlich E (1986) Consanguinity and congenital heart disease in the rural Arab population in northern Israel. Hum Hered 36:213–217

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon CR, Bar-Ziv Y, Frydman M, Zlotogora J, Gadoth N (1990) Mucolipidosis III and Bardet-Biedl syndrome in the same family: diagnostic pitfalls. Brain Dev 12:403–407

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gunaid AA, Ali Hummad N, Tamim KA (2004) Consanguineous marriage in the capital city Sana’a, Yemen. J Biosoc Sci 36:111–121

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hafez M, El-Tahan H, Awadalla M, El-Khayat H, Abdel-Gafar A, Ghoneim M (1983) Consanguineous matings in the Egyptian population. J Med Genet 20:58–60

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamamy H, Al-Hakkak Z (1989) Consanguinity and reproductive health in Iraq. Hum Hered 39:271–275

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamamy H, Alwan A (1994) Hereditary disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Bull World Health Organ 72:45–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamamy H, Alwan A (1997) Genetic disorders and congenital abnormalities: strategies for reducing the burden in the region. East Mediterr Health J 3:123–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamamy H, Bittles AH (2009) Genetic clinics in Arab communities: meeting individual, family and community needs. Public Health Genomics 12:30–40

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamamy HA, al-Hakkak ZS, al-Taha S (1990) Consanguinity and the genetic control of Down syndrome. Clin Genet 37:24–29

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamamy H, Jamhawi L, Al-Darawsheh J, Ajlouni K (2005) Consanguineous marriages in Jordan: why is the rate changing with time? Clin Genet 67:511–516

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamamy H, Al-Hait S, Alwan A, Ajlouni K (2007a) Jordan: communities and community genetics. Commun Genet 10:52–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamamy HA, Masri AT, Al-Hadidy AM, Ajlouni KM (2007b) Consanguinity and genetic disorders. Profile from Jordan. Saudi Med J 28:1015–1017

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hammami A, Chalbi N, Ben Abdallah M, Elgazzeh M (2005) Effects of consanguinity and social factors on mortality and fertility in Mauritania. Tunis Méd 83:221–226

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hessini L (2007) Abortion and Islam: policies and practice in the Middle East and North Africa. Reprod Health Matters 15:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoodfar E, Teebi AS (1996) Genetic referrals of Middle Eastern origin in a western city: inbreeding and disease profile. J Med Genet 33:212–215

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hussain R (1999) Community perceptions of reasons for preference for consanguineous marriages in Pakistan. J Biosoc Sci 31:449–461

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hussien FH (1971) Endogamy in Egyptian Nubia. J Biosoc Sci 3:251–257

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Inhorn MC, Kobeissi L, Nassar Z, Lakkis D, Fakih MH (2008) Consanguinity and family clustering of male factor infertility in Lebanon. Fertil Steril (Epub ahead of print)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaber L, Merlob P, Bu X, Rotter JI, Shohat M (1992) Marked parental consanguinity as a cause for increased major malformations in an Israeli Arab community. Am J Med Genet 44:1–6

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaber L, Shohat T, Halpern GJ (1996) Demographic characteristics of the Israeli Arab community in connection with consanguinity. Isr J Med Sci 32:1286–1289

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaber L, Merlob P, Gabriel R, Shohat M (1997a) Effects of consanguineous marriage on reproductive outcome in an Arab community in Israel. J Med Genet 34:1000–1002

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaber L, Nahmani A, Shohat M (1997b) Speech disorders in Israeli Arab children. Isr J Med Sci 33:663–665

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaber L, Shohat T, Rotter JI, Shohat M (1997c) Consanguinity and common adult diseases in Israeli Arab communities. Am J Med Genet 70:346–348

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaber L, Halpern GJ, Shohat T (2000) Trends in the frequencies of consanguineous marriages in the Israeli Arab community. Clin Genet 58:106–110

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jalili IK, Smith NJD (1988) A progressive cone-rod dystrophy and amelogenesis imperfecta: a new syndrome. J Med Genet 25:738–740

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph SE (2007) “Kissing coins”: consanguineous marriage and early mortality in a reproductive isolate. Curr Anthropol 48:756–764

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jurdi R, Saxena PC (2003) The prevalence and correlates of consanguineous marriages in Yemen: similarities and contrasts with other Arab countries. J Biosoc Sci 35:1–13

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kanaan ZM, Mahfouz R, Tamim H (2008) The prevalence of consanguineous marriages in an underserved area in Lebanon and its association with congenital anomalies. Genet Test 12:367–372

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kerkeni E, Kerkeni E, Monastiri K, Saket B, Guediche MN, Ben Cheikh H (2007) Interplay of socio-economic factors, consanguinity, fertility, and offspring mortality in Monastir, Tunisia. Croat Med J 48:701–707

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khabori MA, Patton MA (2008) Consanguinity and deafness in Omani children. Int J Audiol 47:30–33

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khawaja M, Tewtel-Salem M (2004) Agreement between husband and wife reports of domestic violence: evidence from poor refugee communities in Lebanon. Int J Epidemiol 33:526–533

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khlat M (1985) Consanguineous marriages in Beirut: time trends, spatial distribution. Soc Biol 35:324–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Khlat M (1988) Consanguineous marriage and reproduction in Beirut, Lebanon. Am J Hum Genet 43:188–196

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khlat M (1989) Inbreeding effects on fetal growth in Beirut, Lebanon. Am J Phys Anthropol 80:481–484

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khlat M (1997) Endogamy in the Arab world. In: Teebi AS, Farag TI (eds) Genetic disorders among Arab populations, 1st edn. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 63–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Khlat M, Halabi S, Khudr A, Der Kaloustian VM (1986) Perception of consanguineous marriages and their genetic effects among a sample of couples from Beirut. Am J Med Genet 25:299–306

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khoury SA, Massad D (1992) Consanguineous marriage in Jordan. Am J Med Genet 43:769–775

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khoury SA, Massad D (2000) Consanguinity, fertility, reproductive wastage, infant mortality and congential malformations in Jordan. Saudi Med J 21:150–154

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khrouf N, Spang R, Podgorna T, Miled SB, Moussaoui M, Chibani M (1986) Malformations in 10, 000 consecutive births in Tunis. Acta Pediatr Scand 75:534–539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khuri FI (1970) Parallel cousin marriage reconsidered: a Middle Eastern practice that nullifies the effects of marriage on the intensity of familial relationships. Man 5:597–618

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klat M, Khudr A (1986) Religious endogamy and consanguinity in marriage patterns in Beirut, Lebanon. Soc Biol 33:138–145

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamdouar Bouazzaoui N (1994) Consanguinité et santé publique au Maroc. Bull Acad Natl Méd 178:1013–1027

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maatouk F, Laamri D, Argoubi K, Ghedra H (1995) Dental manifestations of inbreeding. J Clin Pediatr Dent 19:305–306

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madi SA, Al-Naggar RL, Al-Awadi SA, Bastaki LA (2005) Profile of major congenital malformations in neonates in Al-Jahra region of Kuwait. East Mediterr Health J 11:700–706

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mahdi A (1992) Consanguinity and its effect on major congenital malformations. Iraqi Med J 40–42:70–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Mansour H, Klei L, Wood J, Talkowski M, Chowdari K, Fathi W et al (2009) Consanguinity associated with increased risk for bipolar 1 disorder in Egypt. Am J Med Genet Part B: Neuropsychiatr Genet 150:879–885

    Google Scholar 

  • Maziak W, Asfar T (2003) Physical abuse in low-income women in Aleppo, Syria. Health Care Women Int 24:313–326

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mokhtar MM, Abdel-Fattah MM (2001) Consanguinity and advanced maternal age as risk factors for reproductive losses in Alexandria, Egypt. Eur J Epidemiol 17:559–565

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mumtaz G, Tamim H, Kanaan M, Khawaga M, Khogali M, Wakim G, Yunis K (2007) Effect of consanguinity on birth weight for gestational age in a developing country. Am J Epidemiol 165:742–752

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murshid WR (2000) Spina bifida in Saudi Arabia: is consanguinity among the parents a risk factor? Pediatr Neurosurg 32:10–12

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nabulsi A (1995) Mating patterns of the Abbad tribe in Jordan. Soc Biol 42:162–174

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nabulsi MM, Tamim H, Sabbagh M, Obeid MY, Yunis KA, Bitar FF (2003) Parental consanguinity and congenital heart malformations in a developing country. Am J Med Genet A 116A:342–347

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Naguib K, Al-Awai S, Moussa M, Farag T, Teebi A (1989) Effect of parental age, birth order and consanguinity on nondisjunction in the population of Kuwait. J Kuwait Med Assoc 23:37–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson J, Smith M, Bittles AH (1997) Consanguineous marriage and its clinical consequences in migrants to Australia. Clin Genet 52:142–146

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Obeidat BR, Khader YS, Amarin ZO, Kassawneh M, Al Omari M (2008) Consanguinity and adverse pregnancy outcomes: the north of Jordan experience. Matern Child Health J [E-publication]

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozand PT, Gascon GC, al Aqeel A, Roberts G, Dhalla M, Subramanyam SB (1990) Prevalence of different types of lysosomal storage diseases in Saudi Arabia. J Inherit Dis 13:849–861

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ozand PT, Devol EB, Gascon GC (1992) Neuro-metabolic diseases at a national referral center: five years experience at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre. J Child Neurol 7(Suppl):S4–S11

    Google Scholar 

  • Panter-Brick C (1991) Parental responses to consanguinity and genetic disease in Saudi Arabia. Soc Sci Med 33:1295–1302

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Patel PK (2007) Profile of major congenital anomalies in the Dhahira region, Oman. Ann Saudi Med 27:106–111

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen J (2002) The influence of consanguineous marriage on infant and child mortality among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Community Genet 5:178–181

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radovanovic Z, Shah N, Behbehani J (1999) Prevalence and social correlates of consanguinity in Kuwait. Ann Saudi Med 19:206–210

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rajab A, Patton MA (1997) Major factors determining the frequencies of hemoglobinopathies in Oman. Am J Med Genet 71:240–242

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rajab A, Patton MA (1999) Analysis of the population structure in Oman. Community Genet 2:23–25

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rajab A, Patton MA (2000) A study of consanguinity in the Sultanate of Oman. Ann Hum Biol 27:321–326

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rajab A, Vaishnav A, Freeman NV, Patton MA (1998) Neural tube defects and congenital hydrocephalus in the Sultanate of Oman. J Trop Pediatr 44:300–303

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rantanen E, Hietala M, Kristoffersson U, Nippert I, Schmidtke J, Swequeiros J, Kääriäinen H (2008) What is ideal genetic counselling? A survey of current international guidelines. Eur J Hum Genet 16:445–452

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rashed M, Ozand PT, Al Aqeel A, Gascon GG (1994) Experience of King Faisal Hospital and Research Centre with Saudi organic acid disorders. Brain Dev 16(Suppl):1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Raz AE, Atar M (2004) Cousin marriage and premarital carrier matching in a Bedouin community in Israel: attitudes, service development and educational intervention. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 30:49–51

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Riou SE, Younsi C, Chaabouni H (1989) Consanguinité dans la population du Nord de la Tunisie. Tunis Méd 67:167–172

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saad FA, Jauniaux E (2002) Recurrent early pregnancy loss and consanguinity. Reprod Biomed Online 5:167–170

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saedi-Wong S, al-Frayh AR (1989) Effects of consanguineous matings on anthropometric measurements of Saudi newborn infants. Fam Pract 6:217–220

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saedi-Wong S, al-Frayh AR, Wong HYH (1989) Socio-economic epidemiology of consanguineous mating in the Saudi Arabian population. J Asian Afr Stud 24:247–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saha N, El Sheikh FS (1988) Inbreeding levels in Khartoum. J Biosoc Sci 20:333–336

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saha N, Hamad RE, Mohamed S (1990) Inbreeding effects on reproductive outcome in a Sudanese population. Hum Hered 40:208–212

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salem K, Lashin S, El Dib A (1994) Consanguinity and mental retardation. Med J Cairo Univ 62(Suppl):177–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Sawardekar KP (2005) Profile of major congenital malformations at Nizwa Hospital, Oman: 10-year review. J Paediatr Child Health 41:323–330

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seliem MA, Bou-Holaigah IH, Al-Sannaa N (2007) Influence of consanguinity on the pattern of familial aggregation of congenital cardiovascular anomalies in an outpatient population: studies from the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Community Genet 10:27–31

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sharkia R, Zaid M, Athamna A, Cohen D, Azem A, Zalan A (2007) The changing pattern of consanguinity in a selected region of the Israeli Arab community. Am J Hum Biol 20:72–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shiloh S, Reznik H, Bat-Miriam-Katznelson M, Goldman B (1995) Pre-marital genetic counselling to consanguineous couples: attitudes, beliefs and decisions among counselled, noncounselled and unrelated couples in Israel. Soc Sci Med 41:1301–1310

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stern GH (1939) Marriage in early Islam. London, The Royal Asiatic Society, pp 165–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Subramanyan R, Joy J, Venugopalan SA, Al Khusaiby SM (2000) Incidence and spectrum of congenital heart disease in Oman. Ann Trop Paediatr 20:337–340

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tadmouri GO, Al Ali MT, Al-Haj Ali S, Al Khaja N (2006) CTGA: the database for genetic disorders in Arab populations. Nucleic Acids Res 34(Database issue):D602–606

    Google Scholar 

  • Tamim H, Khogali M, Beydoun H, Melki I, Yunis K (2003) Consanguinity and apnea of prematurity. Am J Epidemiol 158:942–946

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Teebi A (1994) Autosomal recessive disorders among Arabs: an overview from Kuwait. J Med Genet 31:224–233

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Teebi AS, Teebi SA, Porter CJ, Cuticchia AJ (2002) Arab genetic disease database (AGDDB): a population-specific clinical and mutation database. Hum Mutat 19:615–621

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Temtamy SA, Kandil MR, Demerdash AM, Hassan WA, Meguid NA, Afifi HH (1994) An epidemiological/genetic study of mental subnormality in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Clin Genet 46:347–351

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Temtamy S, Abdel Meguid N, Mazen I, Ismail S, Kassem N, Bassiouni R (1998) A genetic epidemiological study of malformations at birth in Egypt. East Mediterr Health J 4:252–259

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucker JE (1988) Marriage and family in Nablus, 1720–1856: toward a history of Arab marriage. J Fam Hist 13:165–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vardi-Saliternik R, Friedlander Y, Cohen T (2002) Consanguinity in a population sample of Israeli Muslim Arabs, Christian Arabs and Druze. Ann Hum Biol 29:422–431

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wahab AA, Bener A, Teebi AS (2006) The incidence patterns of Down syndrome in Qatar. Clin Genet 69:360–362

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2002) Advisory committee on health research, genomics and world health. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong SS, Anokute CC (1990) The effect of consanguinity on pregnancy outcome in Saudi Arabia. J R Soc Health 110:146–147

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yunis K, Mumtaz G, Bitar F, Chamseddine F, Kassar M, Rashkidi J et al (2006) Consanguineous marriage and congenital heart defects: a case-control study in the neonatal period. Am J Med Genet A 140:1524–1530

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zakzouk S, El-Sayed Y, Bafaqeeh SA (1993) Consanguinity and hereditary hearing impairment among Saudi population. Ann Saudi Med 13:447–450

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zaoui S, Biémont C (2002) Fréquence et structure des mariages consanguins dans le région de Tlemcen (Ouest algérien). Cahiers Santé 12:289–295

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zlotogora J (1997) Genetic disorders among Palestinian Arabs: 1. Effects of consanguinity. Am J Med Genet 68:472–475

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zlotogora J, Shalev S, Habiballah H, Barjes S (2000) Genetic disorders among Palestinian Arabs: 3. Autosomal recessive in a single village. Am J Med Genet 92:343–345

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zlotogora J, Habiballa H, Odatalla A, Barges S (2002) Changing family structure in a modernizing society: a study of marriage patterns in a single Muslim village in Israel. Am J Hum Biol 14:680–682

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zlotogora J, Hujerat Y, Zalman L, Barges S, Filon D, Koren A, Shalev SA, Chakravarti A (2005) The origin and expansion of four different beta globin mutations in a single Arab village. Am J Hum Biol 17:659–661

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zlotogora J, Hujerat Y, Barges S, Shalev SA, Chakravti A (2006) The fate of 12 recessive mutations in a single village. Ann Hum Genet 71:202–208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, South Street, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia

    Alan H. Bittles

Authors
  1. Alan H. Bittles
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hanan A. Hamamy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alan H. Bittles .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Qatar Foundation, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Doha, Qatar

    Ahmad S. Teebi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bittles, A.H., Hamamy, H.A. (2010). Endogamy and Consanguineous Marriage in Arab Populations. In: Teebi, A. (eds) Genetic Disorders Among Arab Populations. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-05080-0_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation