The National Health Services staff have received warning from government-funded NHS monitoring board, urging them “stop discouraging first cousin marriage.”
According to the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) who instructed the staff regarding the first cousin marriage policy, stating “It is unacceptable to discourage close relative marriages in a blanket way.”
Talking about the reason, the monitoring body justified that parents are only at a slightly increased risk of having a child with a genetic disorder.
So instead of deterring the couples, the genetic counsellor should meet couples, advising them on “how to consider arranging future marriages outside of the family.”
As reported by The Telegraph, the document in question read, ““Action at community level may help people to understand and act on [our] advice; but this is only acceptable if information is balanced, non-stigmatising and non-directive.”
Sparking a debate
Recently issued guidelines related to first cousin marriage have sparked a debate as people are asking health officials to initiate an investigation into it.
Previously, there was already an inquiry into NHS guidance which allegedly propagated the idea that first cousin marriages have benefits. Later the NHS removed that guideline after receiving global backlash from parents and scientific communities.
In the UK, first cousin marriages are common in the British-Pakistani community. Despite being legal in Britain, medical experts warn that it increases the chance of children being born with serious health issues or disabilities.
What medical science says about first cousin marriage
In medical science, experts are usually discouraged by such kinds of marriage due to serious health problems and genetic defects.
According to Bradford study, children from first cousin marriages are more likely to inherent risk of recessive disorder and to have speech and language difficulties. Consequently, these children only 54 percent are less likely to reach a “good stage of development.”
According to another data analysis reported by The Telegraph, 73 babies under the age of one died or suffered serious health issues because their parents were close relatives. This accounts for about 3.7% of all child deaths analysed.
In the general population, the risk of having a child with a genetic disorder or serious birth defect is about 2-3 percent. But in first cousin couples, risk increases to about 4-7 percent.
Growing concerns and legislative responses
Given the risks associated with first cousin marriages, various steps have been taken in the UK and the world.
Richard Holden, the Tory MP, introduced a private members’ bill to outlaw the practice, calling for imposing a ban on cousin marriages.
He added: “Behind every one of these deaths is a number of preventable human tragedies.”
The government did not show any interest in banning first cousin marriages, instead it is pursuing the policy of “genetic counselling.”
Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, said: “The practice of first-cousin marriage was banned in Norway last year, and is also banned across most US states. It’s time the UK came in line by outlawing this practice.”
Two Scandinavian countries have moved forward to outlaw cousin marriage entirely. Norway outlawed cousin marriage in 2025. In Sweden, a ban is set to come into effect in 2027.
