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Risk factors for mortality in young children living under various socio‐economic conditions in Lahore, Pakistan: with particular reference to inbreeding
Author(s) -
Yaqoob Muhammad,
Cnattingius Sven,
Jalil Fehmida,
Zaman Shakila,
Iselius Lennart,
Gustavson KarlHenrik
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
clinical genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.543
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1399-0004
pISSN - 0009-9163
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-0004.1998.tb03758.x
Subject(s) - inbreeding , demography , environmental health , consanguinity , biology , medicine , geography , genetics , population , sociology
Risk factors such as maternal age, parity, previous siblings' death, inbreeding of parents, birth weight, birth length were examined in a population‐based prospective study in four population groups at different levels of urbanization in and round Lahore, Pakistan. From September 1984 to March 1995, 2967 full‐term, single born infants were followed from the 5th month of gestation to 12 months of age. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant relative risk (RR) of infant death associated with parents' consanguinity (RR = 1.8), birth weight (RR = 1.8) and elder siblings' death (RR = 1.7). The risk attributed to these factors was 28, 17 and 25%, respectively. The number of lethal equivalents per gamete is about one. The B/A ratio 10.36 suggests that the genetic load is likely to be mutational. In countries like Pakistan, where consanguinity is favourably practiced, a substantial proportion of infant deaths may be prevented by cessation of such marriages. The implications of this finding for the Pakistani community are discussed.