We are seeing lots of cousin marriages or family marriages around us. When we go to attend family marriages or cousin marriages, we find lots of people who say that cousin marriages or family marriages are increasing the risks of birth defects in the children. That’s why most of the people try to know the answer to the question that ‘Are cousin marriages increasing the risks of birth defect in the children?’. If we want to get the answer to this question, we will have to know the basic genetic principles. The concept of family marriages or cousin marriages is very common in the sub-continent region. That’s why most of the people belong to the same ancestry in this region.
Now, we will try to clear this concept
from the genetic point of view. The ancestors share 0.20% of your DNA. The
sharing rate of the DNA from the third cousins is 0.78%. On the other hand, the
sharing rate of the DNA from the second cousin is 3.12%. The sharing rate of
the DNA from the first cousin is 12.5%. If you are sharing more DNA from each
other, the percentage of genetic diseases will be increased. The most common
genetic disease is thalassemia. Now, you should also understand another fact
about it. These diseases will be transmitted to the offspring only if there are
some problems in your genes.
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Here, we will try to discuss the most
important disease of the genes. Cystic Fibrosis is a disease that is created
due to the defects in the CFTR gene. To get this disease, you should have two
copies of the defective genes. If there is a problem in one gene, this disease
will appear in you. If you have this disease, you can transfer this disease in
your offspring. This disease will be transferred in the offspring only if there
are defects in your genes and your spouse’s genes. If one both of you is
correct, there will not be any chance of getting this disease. If both the
parents have defects in their genes, the chances of transferring the defects in
their offsprings will be increased up to 25%.
Now, we talk about the dangers of cousin
marriages. These dangers are more in the first cousins. Before estimating these
dangers, we have to estimate the probability of copying in genetic diseases in
both cousins. Its calculation is quite complex for us. Anyhow, scientists have
given us some calculations about cousin marriages. According to scientists, the
risks of the inherited diseases in cousin marriages are 4 to 7%. On the other
hand, the risks of the inherited diseases in the general population are only 3
to 4%. Here, we are discussing only one genetic disease. If we study it
effectively, we will know that there may be thousands of diseases in the
genealogy.
After the cousin marriages, if their
children will also follow the same tradition, this thing can create disasters
for the generations in the future. Its reason is that they will recycle the old
genes and these genes will be potentially harmful to them. If two people who
are suffering from the Thalassemia disease will marry, their offspring will
have to face major problems of Thalassemia. Recently, the researchers of Queens
University, Ireland have researched about the impacts of the cousin marriages.
According to them, cousin marriages are doubling the risks of schizophrenia
disease in their offsprings. They have also revealed that these kinds of
diseases inherited from the parents to the children due to specific kind of
DNA. As a result, their children may have to face some learning difficulties
and mental disabilities.
In the world, the parents of the 10% of children are relatives to each other. The researchers have also revealed that the risk of schizophrenia in each child is almost 0.3 to 0.66%. Anyhow, in the case of cousin marriages, this risk will increase from 0.66% to 1.32%. The cousin marriages are also lasting some impacts on the depression chances of the people. The chances of depression among the common people are 10% in their lives. On the other hand, the chances of depression among the children of cousins are 30% in their lives. If you want to marry your cousin, you should check the risks of the genetic diseases from the medical examiners. Anyhow, if you are adopting it as a tradition, you should avoid it.
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