Cousin Marriage between cousins
is quite common in many parts of the world. On the other hand, marriage between
cousins is a joke and, at worst, a taboo topic for most Pakistani. It is
unlawful in many countries for first cousins to marry. The concerns are based
on the possibility of genetic issues. Is there, however, a genuine danger?
Also Read: Things A Bride Should Know Before Her Wedding Night
What is a cousin?
There can be many degrees and
types of cousins:
First cousin: the child of your
aunt or uncle (your parent’s sibling’s child)
Second cousin: the child of your
parent’s cousin
Cousin once-removed: your
parents’ first cousin or your first cousin’s child
First cousins are considered to
be close relatives, while second cousins are not. It’s likely that you know and
have spent time with your first cousins. You may happen to know your second
cousins as well. Half siblings are even closer relatives – they share one
parent!
Family members who are more
closely connected share more DNA. For example, your complete sibling shares 50
percent of your DNA, but half-siblings share only 25 percent. Similarly, your
first cousin shares 12.5 percent of your DNA, but your second cousin shares approximately
3 percent.
Cousin marriage In Pakistan
Pakistan ranks first in the
number of marriages between blood relatives, with an estimated 14-16 million
individuals suffering from genetic disorders and 1.6 million mutations
discovered in the country. In Pakistan, consanguine marriages account for 73%
of all marriages, and the country has the world’s biggest population of deaf
children.
Often, the list of potential
husbands and wives is short because they don’t ‘fit’ in the family’s views;
they aren’t wealthy enough, have different family values, and, most
importantly, aren’t from the same background.
Cousin Marriage is a safe bet
due to a lack of alternatives and the apparent benefit of marrying someone from
the same family. Inter-family weddings eliminate the unending criterion, the
doubtful history, the types of families to be combined by the union, and the
ever-present issue of money being preserved inside the family.
According to research in the UK
According to research in the
United Kingdom, most cousin marriages (which are legal in the UK) are between
first cousins in the British Bangladeshi, Middle Eastern, and East African
groups, but mostly between British Pakistanis.
Why do marrying closer relatives increase the chance of genetic disease?
Close relatives marrying increases
the risk of some genetic issues. It raises the chances of having a child with a
recessive disease in particular. DNA is the instruction handbook that informs
our bodies on how to grow, develop, and function properly, as you may recall from
biology class. Our DNA is made up of discrete components called genes. Every
gene has two copies: one from our mother and one from our father. Even though
all humans share 99 percent of the same DNA, some distinctions (or variants), and physical changes, such as hair or eye color, are caused by some variants. Other
variants are neutral and appear to have no effect. Furthermore, some DNA
variations are linked to diseases.
A variation in just one copy of a
gene can sometimes be enough to produce a disease. However, in recessive circumstances,
a person will only get an infection if both copies of the gene are mutated.
Individuals must have two
non-working copies of a gene to have the recessive disease. Each of us carries
about 12 genetic variations linked to recessive diseases. Because humans have
two copies of each gene, we usually have a healthy version of the genes. That
means we don’t have to be concerned about contracting the disease in any of
those circumstances. However, if you marry someone who has the same recessive
variant as you, your child may inherit the disease. This is a one-in-four
possibility or a quarter-of-a-percentage-point chance.
The more DNA you share, the more
likely you are to have disease-causing variations in common if you marry
someone related to you, your chances of producing a child with a recessive
ailment increase. According to the Clinical Genetics Handbook, children of
unrelated couples have a 2-3 percent probability of being born with a birth
abnormality, whereas children of first Cousin Marriage have a 4-6 percent
chance. This isn’t a major possibility, but it exists! Second cousins having
children, on the other hand, poses the same genetic risk as two unrelated
people having children.
Genetic Risks
The genetic risks in question are
linked to a process known as unmasking. It goes something like this: each of our
parents gives us one copy of each gene. As a result, humans inherit two
versions of each gene (known as alleles), one dominant and one recessive. Both
copies of a recessive gene must be recessive alleles for a recessive gene to
manifest in an individual. If a person gets only one recessive allele of a
gene, they are considered carriers and can transmit illness risk to their
children. When a person inherits two copies of a hazardous recessive allele, the
gene is said to unmask, and they will inherit the disease.
In Israel, cousin marriages are
on the wane because rabbis say, “You don’t have my blessings.” If two people
share the same gene, the risk jumps to one in four. Everything, he explained,
begins with informed information.
WHO study
According to him, a WHO study
estimates that the country loses 18-20 USD each year owing to hereditary
illnesses. He claims that this sum is greater than what is spent on cancer and
COVID combined. It has to be the most important issue in Pakistan.
Why are there rules against
marrying family members in some places?
It is looked upon in some
cultures for cousins to marry relatives. Due to genetic concerns, there may be
rules and legislation prohibiting incest. On the other side, some cultures may
support cousin marriage for a variety of reasons. Many cultures, for example,
advocate first cousin marriage to strengthen familial bonds. Second cousins are
legally able to marry in every state in the United States. However, only
roughly half of the states in the United States allow first-cousin
marriages.
Overall, marrying your cousin or
half-sibling will be influenced by local regulations as well as personal and
cultural beliefs. A genetic counselor should have consulted any couple
concerned about their children’s hereditary risk. They can give you a more
precise risk assessment depending on your circumstances and explain whether or
not testing is accessible.
Weirdest Transition In Pakistani Culture
The tradition of changing
rishtadari into more rishtadari is still practiced in our society, and it occurs
in both rich and poor families. Cousin marriages are still common in this part
of Pakistan.
Getting Used To Not Calling Him Bhai Anymore
A most common issue in Pakistani
Cousin marriages you are not used to saying that every time you call him.
You know All The Dumb Mistakes That They Have Made In Their Lives
Let’s face it, you know a little
too much about your relative, including all of the horrible things they’ve done
and all of the errors they’ve made. You’ll find out if your cousin had previous
relationships if he was a party animal, or if he did anything stupid. That
level of honesty can’t be good for a marriage.
You know Too Much About Their Family
You’ll learn everything there is
to know about the internal family issues and the jhagray that has been going on
for years!
You Can’t Say Anything Bad About Your Saas Because She Is Also Your Phupho!
The deadly combo of saas/phupho
is too much for one person to handle on their own.
You Can’t Show your Emotion
That just made you cringe, didn’t it, but it is a probability that this will take place!
