Characterization of the Consanguinity in the Moroccan Population of Doukkala

Abstract

Consanguinity, or the practice of marrying close relatives, is a prevalent phenomenon in many parts of the world, including North Africa. It seems to offer psychological, social, economic, and cultural advantages for couples and their families. In Morocco, the situation of this marital behavior is far from being closely defined. The objective of this research endeavor is to furnish a comprehensive depiction and critical examination of the frequency and trends of consanguinity within the Moroccan population of Doukkala. To investigate the prevalence and patterns of consanguineous marriage in the Doukkala region, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019. A structured questionnaire was administrated through face-to-face meetings. The data collected were on place of birth and residence and kinship between the spouses in the case of consanguineous marriage. A sample consisting of 1408 couples was selected randomly from the Doukkala region. The consanguinity rate in this population reaches 26.56% (α = 0.019). The predominant consanguineous union found in the study was the marriage of first cousins. A temporal analysis reveals that consanguinity has experienced a substantial decrease in prevalence, with rates declining from 29.69 to 22.96% over the course of the previous century. The studied population places significant importance on this particular marital behavior within their social imagination and it has yet to be effectively reduced.