Inborn disorders tied to inter-family marriages

KABUL (Pajhwok): Gynecologists want prospective couples to visit doctors for blood tests before getting married in order to prevent possible congenital disorders in their children.

They say at times, children inherit some diseases from their parents, who may or may not be relatives.

Kabul-based gynecologists Dr. Mursal Bahar Mahmoodi told Pajhwok Afghan News there were various reasons for a child inheriting certain diseases from any or both of his/her parents. This needs a scientific and specialised discussion.

She explained: “Any seemingly normal human being may carry a large number of genes that could cause diseases. As a result of marriage between two healthy people, these genes could lead to diseases in their children.”

She added: “Interfamily marriage could also lead to gentic disorders such as hearing impairment, deformities, cleft lip, cleft palate and mental retardation in children.”

However, she said sometimes children inherited ailments from their parents, who might be relatives or strangers.

For instance, she pointed out: “A man, who married his first cousin, came to me. His elder child had a serious inborn disorder, but his younger child was healthy.”

She continued a couple, who were complete strangers, visited her health centre. Their child inherited a disease from their parents.

She emphasised marrying relatives was not the only reason for inborn ailments in children.

Meanwhile, Dr. Zarghoonna Mehdi, another gynecologist in Kabul, also acknowledged children contracted certain ailments from their parents in some cases.

She also clarified: “Interfamily marriage is not the only behind congenital diseases in children. Some children, whose parents are strangers, also inherit diseases from their fathers and mothers.”

She called the issue the subject of a scientific and professional debate, advising all potential couples to visit doctors and test their blood before marriage to prevent future complications.

She said: “My advice to a couple is to visit a doctor and test their blood group before getting married.”

Consanguineous marriage consequences

Nazia, an 18-old resident of the Macro Ryan neighbourhood of the capital, said: “My mother had congenital heart defects and I’m also suffering from this disease. I think I inherited this from my mother.”

She says she will consult a doctor whenever gets married so her children do not inherit the same disease.

Fatima, not her real name, an inhabitant of the 9th police district, married her cousin ten years ago and their first child is a girl with a leg condition.

She said: “My daughter’s legs were crooked from the knee down to the ankle. We took her to the doctor, who kept her legs in a cast for a year. Thank God, she has gotten better. I realised there must be a problem with our blood.”

She recalled: “When I realised that I had a problem. I visited a gynecologist in the ninth month of each pregnancy to prevent this problem from recurring. Thank God, my children are healthy now.”

Rukhsar, assumed name, a resident of Khairkhana area, married her uncle’s son a decade ago and her first child had six fingers on his right hand.

kk/mud