The UK is set to introduce a bill in Parliament today that proposes banning marriages between first cousins.
If passed, the proposed legislation would prohibit first-cousin marriages, including unions between paternal and maternal uncles/aunts’ children.
MP Richard Boulden, who introduced the bill, stated that first-cousin marriages double the risk of congenital disorders in children and are contributing to social issues in British society.
Medical experts have also weighed in, highlighting that cousin marriages are prevalent globally and often result in genetic disorders caused by gene mutations.
According to experts, such marriages increase the risk of immediate infant mortality, infertility, preterm deliveries, and conditions such as thalassemia, epilepsy, deafness, muteness, bipolar disorder, and other genetic diseases.
