title: The relationship between consanguineous marriage and death in fetus and infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the high prevalence of consanguineous marriages in rural and urban areas of Iran, the aim of this study was to identify its role in increasing fetal and infant deaths.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study in which 494 mothers with more than one exceptional child (mentally retarded and physically-dynamically disabled) or with normal children were selected based on multi-stage random sampling method. Data was gathered using the features of parents with more than one exceptional child questionnaire. The validity and reliability of this questionnaire was acceptable. Hierarchical log-linear method was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consanguineous marriage significantly increased the number of births of exceptional children. Moreover, there was a significant relation between the history of fetal/infant death and belonging to the group. There was a significant relation between consanguineous marriage and the history of fetal/infant death which means consanguineous marriage increased the prevalence of fetal/infant death in parents with exceptional children rather than in parents with normal children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rate of fetal/infant death in exceptional births of consanguineous marriages was higher than that of non-consanguineous marriages.
authors.affiliation: PhD Student, Department of Exceptional Children's Education and Psychology, Sciences and Researches Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid Mehr
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: Heidar Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Hooman
authors.forename: Gholam Ali
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Afrooz
authors.forename: Parviz Sharifi
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Daramadi
keywords: Abortion; Child; Consanguinity; Disabled Children; Exceptional; Induced; Stillbirth