Cousins' DNA -- What will happen it you are pregnant with your cousin's baby?

Question

What is in the DNA of cousins that will cause their kids to have birth defects? Is this just an old wive's tale? I'm sorry I just don't understand how it works. I thought human beings all pretty much have the same DNA so what difference does it make whether you marry your cousin or someone who isn't related to you? Isn't DNA or genetic material all the same?

Answer 1

The risk of relatives having children comes from the fact that IF there is a recessive gene in the family it is more likely to express itself in the offspring. This is because a recessive gene must be inherited from both parents to Be expressed.

Answer 2

Marrying a first cousin was common up through the late 1800's and is still common in some cultures. You and your first cousin share 12.5% of your genes in common. You have about a 90-95% chance of a normal child and about 5-10% of birth defects due to recessive genes you share if you have a child as opposed to a birth defect rate of 3% for normal non-cousin relationships. But marrying a first cousin is not legal in most states.

Answer 3

It makes some genetic defects more likely. Simply, often there is a type y part of your DNA, but very rarely there is someone who has part r instead. If you have type r, it is likely that your cousin does too. While 2 r's can cause a defect, a y and a r is just fine.

Answer 4

It depends.

If this is a regular thing in the family the genes might be a little wobbly. Humans need to mix their genes with genes that are not similar.
Ideally we should breed across races. Say a Mongolian tribesman with a Brazilian. The further the races are apart historically the healthier physically their offspring will likely be.

Breeding with someone closely related to you is likely to multiply any problems there are. Sometimes dramatically.

If you can go back 3 generations without finding evidence of such closeness then you be 99% OK to mate with your cousin.

Look at Pedigree dogs. They all have problems of one sort or another due to their close inter-breeding.

Answer 5

In many cultures, it is perfectly acceptable to marry your first cousin. While the chances of your child inheriting genetic abnormalities is slightly increased, it isn't something to worry too much about. Birth defects mainly occur with closer relations, like with two siblings, or a parent and child.

Answer 6

Yes DNA is the same for everything there are 4 compounds in DNA and that is it. Everthing is based on how it is put together and the length.

cousins your kids might be a little slow or something else but it might not. Please let us know when you have your cousins baby.

Answer 7

Well, besides "burning"... it could cause a lot of issues for the kid, and other family members. I think the social issue is probably the biggest concern. I would have an issue marrying into a family that was sleeping around with each other. It shows they have no morals and limits. I would be a little leery about having kids around them. know what I mean? It's Incest.

Answer 8

If you are related too closely, the chances of genetic abnormalities increases. If you are pregnant with your cousin's baby, you've been having sex with your cousin!!
I think genetic counseling would be in order...so would looking farther afield for marriage partners.

Answer 9

You get to star on the Jerry Springer Show. As for the birth defects, watch the show and you will see DNA in action.

Answer 10

you DNA sequences may be too similar and so u may have a mutation in your child.
blindness, retardation, born without limbs or with extra ones

yes it is true