"Cousin marriage is an important cultural practice ... parental education - so they could focus squarely on the impact on "consanguinity", the scientific word for having parents who are related.

Estimates on the prevalence of consanguineous marriage (between blood relatives) vary around the world. Studies have put Pakistan as having one of the highest rates globally at 65 per cent of unions.

Consanguineous marriage can result in children with cognitive difficulties, heart defects, and impaired hearing, as well as other genetically inherited diseases. It can also lead to increased ...

The NCSL states that 23 states ban all marriage between first cousins outright while nine states allow for certain exceptions ...

Today, an estimated 10 to 15% of newborns worldwide have consanguineous parents, said Deutsche Welle, largely because cousin marriage is "socially embedded" in many regions of the world ...