Effects of consanguinity on anthropometric measurements of newborn infants.

The effects of parental consanguinity on gestational age and birth measurements were evaluated on 2880 newborn infants. Consanguineous marriages were considered in three subgroups: first-cousin, first-cousin-once-removed and distant-cousin marriages, versus non-consanguineous marriages. Anthropometric parameters were weight, length, leg length, head, chest and mid-arm values obtained within 24 h of birth. No significant differences were found concerning gestational age. Although anthropometric values were slightly less, especially in children from first-cousin couples, the differences were insignificant for all groups. It was concluded that blood-relationship alone does not affect such multifactorial traits.