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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Risk factors for mortality in young children living under various socio-economic conditions in Lahore, Pakistan: with
M Yaqoob1, S Cnattingius, F Jalil
1Department of Social and Preventive Paediatrics, King Edward Medical College, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.
Insights
Consanguinity, low birth weight, and previous sibling death significantly increase infant mortality risk in Pakistan. Reducing these factors, particularly parental inbreeding, could substantially lower infant death rates.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Genetics
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Infant mortality remains a significant public health concern in many developing countries.
- Consanguineous marriages are culturally prevalent in regions like Pakistan, raising genetic concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key risk factors contributing to infant mortality in Pakistan.
- To quantify the impact of parental consanguinity and other factors on infant deaths.
Main Methods:
- A population-based prospective study followed 2967 infants from gestation to 12 months in Lahore, Pakistan.
- Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the relative risk (RR) of infant death associated with various factors.
Main Results:
- Parental consanguinity (RR = 1.8), low birth weight (RR = 1.8), and prior sibling death (RR = 1.7) were significant risk factors for infant mortality.
- These factors accounted for 28%, 17%, and 25% of the attributable risk, respectively.
- The study suggests a mutational genetic load, with approximately one lethal equivalent per gamete.
Conclusions:
- Consanguinity is a major modifiable risk factor for infant mortality in Pakistan.
- Public health interventions aimed at reducing consanguineous marriages could significantly decrease infant death rates.
- Addressing factors like birth weight and family history of infant death is crucial for improving child survival.
Abstract:
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.
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