In our country, cousin marriages are a common occurrence. Parents find it convenient to marry their sons and daughters within their families rather than having to go through the process of finding a match outside. They ignore the fact that this can increase the risk of inherited diseases in the offspring as there is a greater increase in the propagation of hereditary disease in a consanguineous marriage. This can be avoided by taking some preventive measures like blood testing and genetic screening prior to the marriage.
I urge the ministry of health and the various public health departments to recommend couples-to-be to be tested for hereditary disorders like thalassemia, sickle cell disease, asthma and other genetic diseases before they can marry. This can ensure the healthy lives of many unborn children and reduce the struggle of the parents of the effected.
Maria Rehman
Islamabad