Is early marriage a cause of a fetus being born with a deformity?

Question:
One of the ministers of social affairs in one of the Arab countries said, and among his statements was: that early marriage is a cause of a fetus being born with a deformity. What is your comment on that?

Answer:
We know of no basis for this. Early marriage is required. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is the prescribed course: to marry him off when he is of age for marriage. If he marries him off when the desire is present, he has done well, and there is no danger in that for him.
And this statement made by this speaker is baseless conjecture with no foundation. The idea that a child is born deformed because of early marriage is something with no basis. It is merely a deterrent from early marriage without right and without knowledge. We have married off, and people have married off their children early, and they have seen nothing but good. The harm that this speaker mentioned did not occur from it. We ask Allah for safety.