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  • Title: Consanguinity, fecundity and post-natal mortality in Karnataka, South India.
    Author: Devi AR, Rao NA, Bittles AH.
    Journal: Ann Hum Biol; 1981; 8(5):469-72. PubMed ID: 7294724.
    Abstract:
    The degree of consanguinity of the progeny, the number of live-borns and number of living children were determined in 3350 marriages in Bangalore, Karnataka. The coefficient of inbreeding (F) was 0-02308, higher than in comparable, urban populations in other South Indian states. No significant differences were found between the consanguineous and nonconsanguineous groups in numbers of live-born or living children nor was there any consanguinity-related trend with respect to these parameters. 3550 mothers from 17 health institutions in the Bangalore area were interviewed about the degree of consanguinity of their offspring and the number of live-born and still living children to determine the effects of longterm inbreeding on the fertility of the population. Excluding the 96 cases for which complete information was unavailable, 29.29% of the marriages were consanguineous; 1.01% were beyond second cousin, 5.50% were 2nd cousin, 9.99% were 1st cousin, and 12.78% were uncle-niece, giving a coefficient of inbreeding of 0.02308 for the population. The 1st cousin and beyond 2nd cousin marriages averaged the smallest number of live-born children and of living children, but no significant differences were found between the nonconsanguineous and the 3 main consanguineous classes in numbers of live-born or of living children, nor was any consanguinity-related trend discovered. The higher socioeconomic groups did show evidence of an avoidance of consanguinity; of the 71 infants born in private nursing homes mainly to Hindu parents, the coefficient of inbreeding of 0.01254 was much lower than in the general population. No significant differences were found between the consanguineous and nonconsanguineous groups among the Hindu, Muslim, or Christian families. The level of inbreeding was greater than in neighboring South Indian states. The results may have been influenced by underrepresentation of poorer classes or by errors in number of recalled births and infant deaths. It appears however that in Karnataka inbreeding in the current generation is not associated with a significant decline in fecundity or an increase in early postnatal mortality.
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