Clinical outcomes of consanguineous marriages in Turkey

Turkey has a high rate of consanguineous marriages. Different nationwide surveys indicate that today 20-25% of marriages are consanguineous, with the rate having increased over the last 15 years. The results of many studies show that the rate of consanguinity among parents of children with rare recessive diseases is quite above Turkey's average and that the high consanguinity rate is one of the underlying factors of high infant and child mortality and fertility in Turkey.