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Cousins Should be Allowed to Marry, Say Geneticists
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by Terri Potratz | December 23, 2008 at 11:48 am
179 views | 7 Recommendations | 2 comments
Genetic experts are asserting that laws preventing first cousins from marrying are outdated, since there is no scientific basis to support the belief that their offspring face a higher risk of genetic defect. Professors Hamish Spencer of the University of Otago in New Zealand and Diane Paul of Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology presented their arguments in a recent issue of PloS Biology.
According to the Marriage Act of 1990, union between cousins is legal in Canada, as is marriage between a niece or nephew to their uncle or aunt.
On the other hand, in the United States, 31 state laws either bar the practice or allow it only when the couple has genetic counselling, is beyond reproductive age or if a partner is sterile. The authors of the paper ask whether the laws are grounded in scientific fact, such as the commonly cited three per cent additional risk of birth defects in those born to cousins."These laws reflect once-prevailing prejudices about immigrants and the rural poor and oversimplified views of heredity, and they are inconsistent with our acceptance of reproductive behaviors that are much riskier to offspring," the pair conclude in a journal forum where historians and philosophers reflect on topical issues in biology.
The researchers call for a repeal on marriage bans between first cousins, citing that indefensible scientific and social assumptions currently support the bans. A 2002 review on birth defects was their major reference point, in which they demonstrated that the birth defect risk between cousins was 1.7% higher than that of the general population, which carries an average risk of about 2-3% overall. They deemed the 1.7% increase to be of little significance.
They argued further that women over 40 carry a similar risk for birth defects, and no one prevents them from reproducing.
"People with Huntington's Disease or other autosomal dominant disorders have a 50 per cent risk of transmitting the underlying genes to offspring and they are not barred either."
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 16:05 on December 23rd, 2008
I think first cousins are too close and should remian legal though I do know of a married couple who are first cousins and have three children.
At the end of the day it's up to an individual to do what they think is right.
at 17:32 on December 27th, 2008
If there are hidden genetic defects, then the risk is higher, but if there are good characteristics then you can produce geniuses. The Wedgewood family married cousins.