Association between Genetic Inbreeding and Disease Mortality and Morbidity in Saudi Population

Consanguineous marriages have a high prevalence among Muslim-majority countries, and the ratio is increasing in Saudi population [1]. Nowadays, more than half of all the marriages in Saudi Arabia are marriages between cousins [2]. Different types of consanguineous marriages exist, such as marriage between first cousins, which is the most common one, marriage between second cousins, and marriage between third cousins [2]. A number of factors play very critical roles in the consequences of genetic disorders beside relative’s marriages, including social, cultural, economic and demographic factors [3]. Also, the age difference between mates is expressed as a factor that increases the chances of getting a genetic disorder due to consanguinity [4]. Consanguinity influences the susceptibility to infectious diseases [5].