Inbreeding Load in the Newborn of Hyderabad

Abstract

Summary The population of Andhra Pradesh has been considered ideal for the study of inbreeding effects in view of its high incidence of consanguinity. Information for the present investigation was obtained from 1,091 consecutive hospital single births to study the genetic load in the newborn in terms of mortality and malformation as a consequence of inbreeding. The nature of consanguinity was examined and the frequency of uncle-niece marriages was found to be lower than in other parts of Andhra Pradesh. The mortality load in the newborn was found to be two lethal equivalents per individual, while the malformation load at birth was half the mortality load.