700 children born with genetic disabilities due to cousin marriage/sex

Cathy - posted on 08/25/2010

"Obviously Pakistan people living in the UK would be exposed to the knowledge of the healh risks involved."

They may live on UK soil but many of these people and families completely segregate themselves from all aspects of UK society/culture. I've heard stories from young women who are born in the UK and try to intergrate, being taken back to Pakistan and forced into marriage with cousins.

Good luck trying to educate those who have no interest in listening!

Becky - posted on 08/24/2010

We have a similar problem in the Hutterite communities here in Alberta. The majority of our Children with Disabilities caseloads were from Hutterite communities because of all the inbreeding. It's at the point where they are bringing in strangers to have sex with the women to get some fresh blood and cut down on the disabilities. No joke.

Jessica - posted on 08/24/2010

Religion takes the cake again for screwing with people...imagine that. I wish people woud pull there heads out and use common sense. I agree Sharon, education would go along way...as long as it wasn't falling on purposely deaf ears.

Sharon - posted on 08/24/2010

Sara - that explains a lot then. :p

Tah - posted on 08/24/2010

it's a mix of culture, lack of education and a beleif system that goes back so far, they wouldnt dare change it, and they wouldnt dare beleive any information coming from people or cultures or a world that they fight so hard to keep from tainting what they do believe in...it's sad for those children....you learn something new everyday...even if you dont want to...

Good Day! - posted on 08/24/2010

Not in all states Sharon:

http://marriage.about.com/cs/marriagelic...

Katherine - posted on 08/24/2010

Yes, their caste system is very similar, Jodi.

Jodi - posted on 08/24/2010

Do the Pakistanis and Bangladeshis also have a caste system similar to Indians? If that is the case, it will be even more difficult to be able to combat the issue and still respect their cultural needs......

Sharon - posted on 08/24/2010

Isn't first cousin marriage in the US illegal?

Jocelyn - posted on 08/24/2010

Mke blood tests mandatory to rule out any blood relation. If you don't get the blood test, you don't get your marriage license.

Katherine - posted on 08/24/2010

Unfortunately is it a matter of being culturally relative. The egyptians did it to keep the bloodline I'm willing to bet that if you told them differently you were killed on the spot....

Jenni - posted on 08/24/2010

yes as creepy and gross as it all is you can no more control it than you can control women who smoke and drink alcohol while pregnant. I would think if it's on the rise in the UK lack of education on the subject isn't the issue. Obviously Pakistan people living in the UK would be exposed to the knowledge of the healh risks involved.

Jodi - posted on 08/24/2010

Obviously I think it is sad and these people need to be educated about the issue, but I think you need to take into account that their culture is what is encouraging the marriage of cousins, and that as long as it is entrenched in their culture, it will continue to be a problem. It's easy for us to judge them, but this is probably something that has been condoned for many hundreds of years. It isn't going to stop overnight.



I agree, Sharon, that approaching the religious leaders, and even the community elders, to discuss these issues would be the best way to educate them.



Possibly the biggest problem is that the Pakastani and Bangladeshi communities in Britain are relatively small, and marrying outside their race and religion is frowned upon, so as a result they are inbreeding......



And yes, amongst such a culture, discussions of anything relating to this issue would probably be totally off limits.

Sharon - posted on 08/24/2010

Its not a sensitive subject - its virtually taboo. I'm not absolutely certain about these cultures - but a child born imperfect is a HUGE thing. Almost as bad as the old japanese - hiding blind kids in institutions and omg downs or something.. the horrors!!!

This is why they need to search out a progressive religious leader and find a solution.

Katherine - posted on 08/24/2010

They don't want to bring it up though because it's a 'sensitive' subject. WTF????

Sharon - posted on 08/24/2010

That is creepy & gross.

Education, education, education. Its sad - I know why they do it, but they need to wise up in such small gene pools - I think appoaching their religious leaders with the concern is the first start - because their religion drives EVERYTHING.