Consanguineous Marriages in India: Prevalence and Determinants

Consanguineous marriage is the legal union of male and female of a common ancestor related by blood. The most common prevailing form of consanguineous marriages is between first cousins. Middle East Asian countries and southern states in India show high prevalence. A comparative analysis between the two rounds of National Family Health Survey 1 and 4 have shown a declining trend for the practice of consanguineous marriages. The highest percentage of consanguineous marriages is seen among the first cousins from both father’s and mother’s side, most commonly practice in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka except Kerala. Importantly, the practice of consanguineous marriage is higher among the Muslims of North India and Hindus of Southern India, among the Other Backward Classes and the less educated population of the middle and richer wealth index. A significant relationship can be noticed among consanguineous marriages and socio-economic variables.