[Consanguinity marriages in Brazil].

This short review deals with the following problems: 1. frequencies of consanguineous marriages in Brazil; 2. their effects on precocious mortality (from abortions up to and including infant-juvenile mortality) and abnormalities among the survivors; 3. genetic counseling for consanguineous marriages; 4. reduction of the prenatal and post-natal damage in consequence of the abolition of the consanguineous marriages in Brazil.