Background One of the aspects that helps to understand the genetic structure of a population throughout its biological history is the description of its matrimonial practices. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore consanguinity, one of these practices, to its full extent by identifying the prevalence, determinants, and trends of a consanguineous marriage, as well as its impact on fertility and spontaneous abortions in the Chaouia population, a region located in the western center of Morocco. Therefore, a survey-based cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2019 and January 2020. The sample was collected by province using a stratified random sampling approach, yielding a sample of 788 people. The association between consanguinity and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, as well as reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes, was described using chi-square and ANOVA analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of a consanguineous marriage. Results Our findings revealed a consanguinity rate of 25.38%. The mean inbreeding coefficient was 0.012214. The most common type of union was between first cousins. This practice was strongly associated with an early age at marriage for both genders and with endogamy and immobility of couples, according to their place of birth. Consanguinity was significantly associated with fertility (p < 0.001) and spontaneous abortions (p = 0.029). The average number of pregnancies and spontaneous abortions was higher in consanguineous unions (5.18 ± 0.20/0.47 ± 0.08) compared to non-consanguineous unions (4.33 ± 0.10/0.31 ± 0.03). Conclusions Consanguinity is a deeply rooted social and cultural tradition in this population, providing individuals with a sense of social-economic stability while assuring their attachment to the group. Despite being highly associated with fertility, this practice has a significant influence on pregnancy outcomes, namely spontaneous abortions. Therefore, further studies are needed to examine the impact of consanguinity on various aspects of reproductive health and its association with numerous genetic abnormalities and diseases.

Background The Souss, located in southern Morocco, is one of the oldest areas of human settlement in North Africa. Despite this historical relevance, the Souss has not received sufficient attention in terms of population genetic studies. Methods In this study, we utilized the AmpFlSTR Identifiler PCR amplification system to establish the allelic frequencies and statistical parameters of 15 autosomal STRs (Short Tandem Repeats) in 150 healthy unrelated Berber‐speaking individuals from the Souss. We explored the genetic relationships between Souss and other reference populations based on our dataset as well as previously published population data. Results A total of 210 alleles were detected with corresponding allele frequencies ranging from 0.003 to 0.367. The most polymorphic locus was D18S51 with 23 alleles which was also the most discriminating locus as expected. The phylogenetic analysis clustered the Souss closer to the Azrou and southern Moroccan populations. The population comparison showed affinity between the Souss and most North African populations, as well as with Middle Easterners and Europeans. Conclusion Historical events and geographical proximity have contributed to the affinity between the Souss and surrounding North African, Southern European, and Middle Eastern populations. Overall, this study highlights the reliability of the 15 STRs for identifying individuals and assessing paternity in the Souss population.

Consanguinity, or the practice of marrying close relatives, is a prevalent phenomenon in many parts of the world, including North Africa. It seems to offer psychological, social, economic, and cultural advantages for couples and their families. In Morocco, the situation of this marital behavior is far from being closely defined. The objective of this research endeavor is to furnish a comprehensive depiction and critical examination of the frequency and trends of consanguinity within the Moroccan population of Doukkala. To investigate the prevalence and patterns of consanguineous marriage in the Doukkala region, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019. A structured questionnaire was administrated through face-to-face meetings. The data collected were on place of birth and residence and kinship between the spouses in the case of consanguineous marriage. A sample consisting of 1408 couples was selected randomly from the Doukkala region. The consanguinity rate in this population reaches 26.56% (α = 0.019). The predominant consanguineous union found in the study was the marriage of first cousins. A temporal analysis reveals that consanguinity has experienced a substantial decrease in prevalence, with rates declining from 29.69 to 22.96% over the course of the previous century. The studied population places significant importance on this particular marital behavior within their social imagination and it has yet to be effectively reduced.

Background: Endogamy is an ancient matrimonial practice deeply rooted in the population culture. It involves choosing a spouse from the same group who shares common conditions. This type of alliance is dictated by socio-cultural, socio-economic and geographical conditions. Aim: This paper examines endogamous marriage among the Moroccan population of Doukkala. Method: A survey was conducted among 1361 couples from the Doukkala region. Geographical endogamy in this population was determined by using a questionnaire that collected data on the place of birth, the place of residence before and after the marriage of the couples studied. Findings: The endogamy in the Moroccan population of Doukkala reaches 84.79%. The level of this marital behavior in rural areas is 87.34% compared to 60.57% registered in urban areas. The intergenerational evolution of endogamy reaches high levels in the first (92.84%) and second (91.02%) generations compared to the last generation (58.56%).

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