The negative health issues involving marriages between cousins was highlighted in a new survey.

Sarvat Jabeen Khan argues it is about time we, as a community, took notice of the growing evidence

As a community we need to stop sweeping a particular health issue under the carpet. I am of course, talking of Recessive Genetic Disorder.

To many that would be a gobbledygook medical condition that doesnt affect you or probably anyone you know. If thats your thinking then read on.

Recently a tradition within the Pakistani community of Bradford was highlighted that has disturbing medical ramifications for future generations.

The success and stability arising from cousin marriages is not being questioned.

The Labour MP Ann Cryer, made a plea calling for a stop to this tradition, with hard-hitting medical evidence.

Surprisingly three quarters of the marriages that take place within Bradfords Pakistani community are between first cousins. Now call me nave, but I thought this was a tradition that was now extinct.

A lady, in such a marriage from Bradford, said she felt that due to the tight family network and family history, it made for a more stable relationship.

It is said that British Pakistanis who have a child born of first cousins are thirteen times more likely to have a genetic disorder.

The evidence given by the Birmingham Primary Care Trust estimates 1 in 10 children born to first cousins either dies or goes on to develop serious disabilities as a result of recessive genetic disorders.

Another individual said her parents were first cousins, as were her grandparents. She is well aware of the risks and says she would never marry a first cousin.

According to Ann Cryer MP the Pakistani community are living in denial. She feels, as a community we must adopt a different lifestyle, looking outside of the family for a partner.

As an abundant community in Britain, why do we still feel the need to marry first cousins?

Understandably there was a tradition when such marriages were encouraged but times have changed.

This is not a religious requirement, if anything more cultural. Islam warns of the dangers of marrying closely within the family. In contrast Islam encourages marriages amongst the wider community.

Economic benefits may still be feeding such a tradition. Its a well-known fact that when a girl marries, all her belongings, wealth, land go with her. Could this be one of the reasons first cousin marriages are still so popular?

Another reason may be more political. Often a brother and sister will marry their cousins (who themselves are brother and sister), thereby increasingly the likelihood and frequency of this medical disorder.

The problem seems to become less worrying if the marriage is between second or third cousins when a new gene pool or variant gene is introduced thus reducing the chance of disabilities.

Although there are possible benefits of marrying a first cousin, the risk you then take when having children is something that surely outweighs the pros.

So the next time your parents are looking for a partner, make sure theyre not playing Russian roulette with the health of your future children.

This disorder is endemic within our community, so its the community that needs to address and indeed resolve this problem.