”well, If I had known that the chances were higher to have a sick child, I didn’t poison myself with my cousin. Why no one told me anything?”
the mother of one of my patients at the child psychiatry services, which raised the issue during the course of my banding as doctors. She and her father were first-degree cousins, and the marriage had been arranged by the family. Their child had a learning disability.
we want our children to be healthy and fit. Therefore, it can be argued that information about the risks associated with the kusinäktenskap should be used as a self-evident folkhälsofrämjande, and civic action.
the national Board of health turned a blind eye to the risk group
At the moment, is illuminated, however, such recommendations are absent from the authorities ‘ side. The national board of health type of material on Reproductive health from a public health point of view: ”Among first-time mothers over the age of 35, it is slightly higher risk for fetal death, poor growth retardation and that the child is born too soon.” It informs you about the risks associated with older mothers, but not about the risks associated with the kusinföräldrar.
In a large-scale study conducted in Bradford, in 2013, sought to answer to the question why a surprisingly high percentage of children of pakistani origins, died, or were born with congenital anomalies. 31% of injuries among children could be explained by the fact that his parents were first cousins. The risk of congenital abnormalities was doubled when the parents were first cousins (of which 3 percent and 6 percent, respectively).
40-fold increased risk of
The Enhanced genetic services project in Birmingham 2014 it was found that the risk of death in childbirth, and the barndöd as a result of autosomal recessive defects, there were 40-times higher in the case of mothers of pakistani origin compared with mothers of european origin.
In Pakistan, it is estimated that about 70 per cent of the marriages happen within the family.
One of the folkhälsoupplysande approach to the risks associated with the kusingifte would help to prevent the fortplantandet of the culture of honor in Sweden.
the Parents are first degree cousins share about 12.5% of their genetic make-up, but in the families that practiced kusinäktenskap for many generations, the tradition has been samhällsnorm, this number can be higher, and, consequently, also the risk.
as A part of the hederskulturen
Kusingifte is a part of the hederskulturen, where marriage within the family is considered beneficial to the family’s reputation and honor. Marrying within the family can be anticipated, and decided, since she was born. Sometimes they are accepted by the parties subject themselves to the family’s standards, and sometimes to resistance. In the worst cases, murdered, the one who refuses to do so. Sometimes, the parties to something they don’t want to.
and Then, in 2014, it is punishable by up to four years in prison, to exercise the äktenskapstvång. The number of convictions few, but the number of filings is increasing each and every year. In 2018, were reported 131 cases in Sweden.
I think that is a folkhälsoupplysande approach to the risks associated with the kusingifte would help to prevent the fortplantandet of the culture of honor in Sweden. Anyone who does not want to marry her cousin, to feel more support from the public sector to say, ”no.” Those who do not are threatened with violence, were able to fight with family members.
Everyone deserves enlightenment,
Hederskulturen is a phenomenon in which the practitioners are also victims, and there is no upside for anyone. Everyone deserves the information and make an informed choice as to when to start a family. Otherwise, it may affect not only the child but the entire family in a fatal way. All of Sweden deserve better than this.
the Norwegian government writes on its web site: ”It is not against the law for cousins to get married, but it is important to note that if the parents are related to each other, there is an increased risk of having children who are ill or have congenital deformities, and of the stillbirths, cot deaths, and children with reduced life expectancies.”
It does not make sense in an enlightened society that does not inform about the risks associated with the kusingifte. A significant proportion of the population has, in addition, the origin of the countries in which the kusingifte is a common practice. It is not that we do not make use of the know-how, in order to prevent children from dying or becoming ill, and that a culture of honor guides people’s lives. I hope that in the future, we will see change for the common good.
this text was first published in the
the newspaper Sjukhusläkaren “.
the Chief of psychiatry, and a columnist at the Sjukhusläkaren.
READ MORE: : the Hypocrisy is: ‘S vote’ no ‘ to strengthen the law against the hedersförtryck
