Support for this belief has been claimed in HLA-based studies, with ..... National Family and Health Survey (NFHS) conducted in India during 1992 and ...... versity, 100 Joondalup Drive, Perth, WA 6027, Australia. email: [email protected].
ANNALS OF HUMAN BIOLOGY,
2002 ,
VOL.
29,
NO.
2, 111±130
INVITED REVIEW Does inbreeding lead to decreased human fertility?
Ann Hum Biol Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by University of Western Australia on 10/02/14 For personal use only.
A. H. Bittlesy, J. C. Grant‡, S. G. Sullivany and R. Hussain} y Centre for Human Genetics, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia ‡ The Wellcome Trust, London, UK } School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, Australia Received 22 Januar y 2001; in revised form 1 May 2001; accepted 9 May 2001
Summary. In most Western countries there is a widespread belief, fostered in part by historical prejudice and religious proscription, that inbreeding in human populations causes a reduction in fertility. Support for this belief has been claimed in HLA-based studies, with increased rates of fetal losses suggested in HLA-compatible unions. To critically assess the overall status of fertility in consanguineous unions, data on 30 populations resident in six countries were collated from a systematic review of the literature. The mean numbers of live births were then compared in four consanguinity test categories, ranging from second cousin to uncle±niece/double ®rst cousin, and corresponding non-consanguineous reference groups. Linear regressions indicated a positive association between consanguinity and fertility at all levels of inbreeding, attaining statistical signi®cance at ®rst cousin level (p
