Earlier, people used to worry about early marriages. But, it is the time to seriously think of repercussions due to unusually late marriages, say experts.
A majority of the youngsters are giving utmost importance to their career which needed at least five to six years after completion of higher studies. Due to this reason, marriages are taking place after couples attain the age of 30 years. They don’t want to have children immediately. Pregnancy after the age 35 may lead to birth of children with genetic disorders, mental and physical problems.
The experts say human body is active between 24 and 26 years and marriage at the age would ensure healthy children for couples. A retired botany lecturer of Government Women’s College, Patti Sumathi, is striving hard to create gene-awareness among the people.
Healthy children
She recently started Gene-Vision Library in New Colony-Srikakulam to highlight the problems with consanguineous and late marriages. In association with Srikakulam Citizens’ Forum president Baratam Kameswara Rao, she kept many books of great scientists, including ‘Father of Genetics’ Mendel, in the library.
Ms. Sumathi says that India cannot have healthy children in future if proper guidance is not given to youngsters over marriage and birth of children. According to her, consanguineous marriages are still taking place among the highly educated families too.
Gene multiplication has become a major concern in many communities which have a limited number of families within their clan. Both husband and wife carry an identical gene derived from a common ancestor in consanguineous marriagesleading to many problems among the kids.
Women’s College Principal Jyoti Frederic lauded Ms. Sumathi’s initiative and said her book Gene Awareness had been helping students understand the importance of gene diversity. “Down’s Syndrome, dwarf, cleft, diabetes, heart diseases and other problems are commonly found in many children in Srikakulam with the marriages among the close families. We are suggesting youngsters to go for genetic counselling before the marriage,” said Golivi Karunakara Rao, member of the Gene-Vision Library.
