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Consanguineous marriages and their effects on pregnancy outcomes in India

Shrikant Kuntla (Department of Population Policies and Programmes, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, India)
Srinivas Goli (Giri Institute of Development Studies (GIDS), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India)
T.V. Sekher (Department of Population Policies and Programmes, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, India)
Riddhi Doshi (Parkview Research Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA)

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy

ISSN: 0144-333X

Article publication date: 19 July 2013

498

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between the marriage among blood relatives and resulting adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses data from India Human Development Survey in 2005. The methods of analyses include bivariate, trivariate estimates and Cox proportional hazard regression model.

Findings

The results reveal that the occurrence of consanguineous marriages is more predominant in southern India and among socioeconomically disadvantageous groups. Moreover, women in consanguineous unions are more likely to have adverse pregnancy outcomes including stillbirths (RR=1.59, p‐value<0.01), abortions (RR=3.03, p‐value<0.01), miscarriages (RR=1.94, p‐value<0.01) and spontaneous miscarriages (RR=1.70, p‐value<0.01). Consanguineous marriages continue to be a critical predictor of adverse pregnancy outcomes in India.

Practical implications

In order to avoid loss of pregnancy and related reproductive health problems in India, it is imperative to create awareness regarding the adverse effects of consanguineous marriages, focusing on the regions with high prevalence.

Originality/value

This unique study comprehensively examines the occurrence of consanguineous marriages and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes by using advanced statistical analyses and nationally representative data.

Keywords

Citation

Kuntla, S., Goli, S., Sekher, T.V. and Doshi, R. (2013), "Consanguineous marriages and their effects on pregnancy outcomes in India", International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Vol. 33 No. 7/8, pp. 437-452. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-11-2012-0103

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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