Inbreeding Problem in British Muslim Community - Most Disabled Children in UK are born to Mulsim Parents
Inbreeding, or close-relative marriages, can increase the risk of genetic disorders. This happens because when two people who are closely related have children, there is a higher likelihood that both parents carry the same recessive genes, which can result in genetic abnormalities. Research in the UK has indicated a higher incidence of congenital disabilities and genetic disorders among children born to parents in consanguineous marriages, particularly in communities where cousin marriages are more common.
Studies have shown that the rate of disabled children is disproportionately higher in certain ethnic groups, including british Pakistani Muslims, where cousin marriages are more prevalent. However, it is important to clarify that while these genetic risks are elevated in communities practicing consanguinity, it is inaccurate to suggest that the majority of disabled children in the UK are born to Muslim parents. The overall population of children with disabilities comes from diverse backgrounds, and the issue of inbreeding is not unique to the Muslim community but relevant in any community with high rates of cousin marriage.