Consanguinity: Its Effects on Fertility, Risks for Children, and Possible Solutions

In some cases of consanguinity, egg donation is the only solution to conceive genetically healthy babies.

Consanguinity: Its Effects on Fertility, Risks for Children, and Possible Solutions

October 14, 2025

Consanguinity refers to the relationship between individuals who are "blood relatives." Marriages or partnerships between close relatives, such as cousins, are common in some cultures and regions around the world. While consanguineous marriages are often culturally accepted, they come with certain health risks, particularly concerning fertility and the potential risks to offspring.

Effects on Fertility

Consanguinity can affect fertility in various ways. Genetic factors can influence reproductive health, and in some cases, shared genetic mutations may impact the ability of couples to conceive. However, the most significant impact is usually not on fertility itself, but rather on the risk of passing on inherited genetic disorders, which could cause complications in pregnancies and in a lot of cases repetitive pregnancy loss. Couples from consanguineous unions may face challenges related to genetic incompatibilities that affect conception, but the main concern is the risk of genetic disorders in their children.

Risks for Children

The primary concern with consanguinity is the increased risk of genetic disorders in children. When closely related individuals marry, there is a higher probability that both parents will carry the same recessive gene mutations, which can result in the child inheriting two copies of the defective gene, leading to genetic disorders. These conditions can range from mild to severe and include:

Inherited Genetic Disorders: Such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and thalassemia.
Congenital Malformations: These can include structural abnormalities, intellectual disabilities, and other health complications.
Increased Risk of Infant Mortality: Studies have shown that children born from consanguineous marriages have a higher risk of dying in infancy.
Role of IVF and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)
In recent years, advances in reproductive technologies, particularly in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), have provided solutions for couples facing the risks associated with consanguinity. IVF offers an opportunity for pre-implantation genetic Diagnosis (PGD) increasing the chances of a healthy pregnancy.
PGD allows for the screening of embryos for specific genetic conditions before they are implanted in the uterus. PGD enables doctors to identify embryos that are free of inherited genetic disorders, providing consanguineous couples with a way to reduce the risk of passing on harmful genetic mutations. PGD can detect conditions like cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and other recessive genetic disorders commonly passed down in consanguineous relationships.
By combining IVF and PGD, couples can have healthier pregnancies and reduce the likelihood of having children with serious inherited conditions. PGD also offers peace of mind by allowing parents to make informed decisions based on the genetic health of their embryos. In cases where the gene mutation involved in offspring abnormalities is not characterized and the risk of having many affected babies is very high, egg donation is recommended.

Genetic Counseling and Screening:

Couples considering consanguineous marriages should seek genetic counseling to assess the potential for inherited disorders. Genetic screening can identify whether either partner carries a recessive gene mutation, providing insight into the risks for their children.

Conclusion

While consanguinity may be a deeply rooted practice in certain cultures, it carries significant health risks, especially in terms of fertility and the potential for genetic disorders in children. With the advent of IVF and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), consanguineous couples can now take proactive steps to minimize these risks, ensuring that their children have the best possible chance of being born healthy. Through genetic counseling, reproductive technologies, and public education, the risks associated with consanguinity can be mitigated, helping families make informed decisions about their reproductive health. IVF with egg donation can be a helpful solution in case of un-identified genetic problems.

consanguinity, NGS, PGT, repetitive pregnancy loss, biochemical pregnancy, miscarriage, repetitive miscarriage, egg donation, PGD, egg donation in lebanon, ivf lebanon, azoury ivf clinic, ivf center in Lebanon, ivf center Lebanon, IVF Centre Lebanon, best ivf center in lebanon, best ivf doctors in lebanon

Repetitive pregnancy loss
Repetitive pregnancy loss
Preimplantation Genetic Testing
Preimplantation Genetic Testing
Various topics related to pregnancy, infertility and childbirth
Various topics related to pregnancy, infertility and childbirth

Opening Hours

  • 07.30 - 15.30
  • 07.30 - 14.30
  • 07.30 - 14.30
  • 07.30 - 14.30
  • 07.30 - 15.30
  • 07.30 - 14.30
  • Closed

To get a free whatsapp consultation or book your appointment today!

Click Here

Related Services

Azoury IVF Lebanon Clinic embryologist performing ICSI

IVF and ICSI

IVF and ICSI allow patients to conceive in case of female factor, male factor and unexplained infertility.

More Info
Embryo sex selection in Lebanon is achieved through genetic testing of the embryos before their transfer to the uterus.

PGT and Embryo Sex Selection

Preimplantation genetic testing allows to diagnose genetic diseases, test the ploidy and determine the sex of the embryos before pregnancy.

More Info
Azoury IVF Clinic Lebanon is the biggest egg donation clinic in Lebanon and UAE and KSA and the whole MENA region.

Egg Donation

Egg donation allows conception in women with a low ovarian reserve. Azoury IVF Clinic is the leading egg donation center in Lebanon and the whole MENA region. We perform more than 50 egg donation cycles per month.

More Info
Show More

For more information or to get started on your IVF Journey today

Call Us! +961 5 453 607

Related FAQs

  • The IVF success rate depends on the age of the woman and the cause of infertility. The success rate reaches 70% for every embryo transfer attempt in women younger than 35 years. In vitro fertilization leads to a live-birth in 90% of cases if the couple does not give up.

  • All recent studies show that a woman can get back to her normal life directly after transfer. She can climb stairs, kneel to catch things from the floor, drive for a long distance, take a shower, sleep in any position, catch a flight…

  • This is the question that no IVF specialist can answer. If we knew the cause that will lead to failure, we would have solved it before transferring the embryos. We can only make assumptions about the causes. Embryo implantation in the uterus is a very complex process and multiple factors are involved. We can monitor and control all the factors we know about, like endometrial thickness, the timing of transfer and the absence of uterine problems. Other factors like immunity are known to play a role but cannot be controlled. The majority of factors remain unknown. Whether we like it or not, we always do our best but the final outcome is in God’s hands.

  • IVF is a multiple step procedure. The first step, ovarian stimulation, consists in daily hormonal injections for a period that varies between 8 and 12 days. Of course injections are burdensome, but some people require taking injections daily all their life so few days of injections are not a huge deal. The second step is oocyte pick up. It is performed under sedation and it is a painless procedure. The pain after the procedure is similar to regular period pain. The last step is embryo transfer, that takes less than a minute and that does not require any sedation as it is similar to any gynecological check up.

  • The urine pregnancy test cannot detect pregnancy very early. The pregnancy hormone, bhcg, appears in the blood before it appears in the urine. Blood test needs at least 12 days post-transfer to detect pregnancy. So there is no point in doing a home pregnancy test before that.