by Bill Curtis, The Times
The National Child Mortality Database, which is funded by taxpayers, says that the risk of having a child with a genetic disorder is only ‘slightly increased’
Hospital staff need to stop discouraging first cousin marriages, a government-funded NHS monitoring board has said, despite the practice increasing the risk of birth defects.
The National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) has told NHS staff that “it is unacceptable to discourage close relative marriage in a blanket way” because the risk of having a child with a genetic disorder is only “slightly increased”.
It states that genetic counsellors should meet the couple and their relatives to advise them on how to “consider arranging future marriages outside of the family”.
Critics have urged health bosses to expand an investigation into separate NHS guidance, which states there is a benefit in cousin marriage, to include this NCMD document.
First cousin marriage, which is fairly common in the Pakistani community as well as other parts of the world, remains legal in Britain despite attempts to prohibit it.
Experts have warned about the possible health implications. Babies that are born to cousins are up to three times more likely to have genetic disorders. However, the document appears to challenge this notion, saying: “This is not appropriate given the level of risk since 90 per cent of children born to consanguineous families will not be affected by a genetic condition.”