Marriages between cousins and other relatives: what are they called, consequences

Consanguineous marriage is a union between people who have a common ancestor. Science and religion oppose such relationships. This is explained by the high probability of future births in such families of children suffering from various diseases.

If we recall history, we can find out that quite a lot of facts are known about the formalization of official relations between persons who are relatives to each other. In particular, this was accepted in royal families.

Such unions were not always concluded out of great love. Often the main reason for formalizing such relations was geopolitical or financial issues. So are consanguineous marriages allowed in Russia or not?

What are assortative and consanguineous marriages?

Assortative marriage is a selective close relationship between representatives of different sexes .
At the moment, the most common form of registration of relationships. Assortativity is a preference in choosing a phenotypically similar partner to create a family (positive assortativity). It may also consist in concluding formal relations between phenotypically different people (negative assortativity).

This can lead to deviation from panmixia, that is, randomness regarding phenotypic characteristics and equally likely to enter into close relationships. A clear indicator of negative assortative close relationships is considered to be an alliance between two red-haired people.

In this case, the probability of creating a pair between similar individuals according to many characteristics is considered much lower than expected. If the likelihood of families being formed between similar people is higher than expected, then we are talking about positive assortative marriages.

It should be noted that these relationships between people with a similar phenotype in terms of genetic effect are similar to those in which close relatives are. Similar phenotypes are the main factor that influences the frequency of formation of many mental pathologies and conditions.

These include schizophrenia, neuroses, alcohol abuse, mental retardation. The risk of developing such conditions is higher in patients with nosological forms.

Thus, subpopulations appear with high genotypic correlation within them and the risk of these diseases appearing in future children. For example, people suffering from mental retardation who marry people with similar health problems often give birth to children with the same defects.

Consequently, such parents give birth to more babies than individuals without any deviations. Assortative unions lead to a serious change in the frequency of certain genes in a population, which often provokes a deterioration or improvement in the viability of this population, depending on the direction of preferences.

Consanguineous marriage is a union formed between representatives of different sexes who have a common relative. Since ancient times, society has had a negative attitude towards such relationships between the sexes. Moreover, some countries oppose such marriages and they are punishable by law.

Unfortunately, in our society, incest between father and daughter, sisters and brothers is very common. Close relationships between uncles and nieces, cousins and second cousins are also not uncommon.

There are certain restrictions on this matter, both from religion and by law. Such relationships are categorically not recognized in the countries of Europe, North America and other countries that support Christian traditions. In some Muslim countries, on the contrary, such unions are desirable.

What is the true danger of consanguineous marriages? Typically, many recessive diseases are found in families where both parents are thought to be carriers of the same unwanted harmful gene. Many known recessive diseases are extremely rare.

But a completely random coincidence of carriage of one pathological defect on both sides is a very rare event. If a man and a woman who are related are married, then the likelihood of this coincidence increases sharply. This is all explained quite simply.

Consanguineous couples may have a child with various recessive diseases. In the worst case scenario, every pregnancy will end in miscarriage.

Essentially, blood relatives are people who share one, two, or more common ancestors. For example, a man and a woman have the same grandparents. As is known, a person is a carrier of at least one harmful recessive gene. That is why it could be passed on to both grandchildren. Therefore, they will be its carriers.

Historical roots of consanguineous marriages

If we talk about the history of consanguineous marriages, we can consider the Habsburg dynasty, which existed several centuries ago. Representatives of this family did not want to spoil their blood. This is the main reason why they are related unions. But there is another one - the preservation of power belonging to the Habsburgs.

The family had children with mental and physical disabilities, but even this moment did not stop the Habsburgs. Later, the complete extinction of the dynasty followed.

Previously, “mixing of blood” was feared in Ancient Egypt. That is why people tried to enter into exclusively related marriages.

In Russia, the Romanovs are considered a striking example of a family that entered into consanguineous marriages. It was precisely because the kings and queens had common ancestors that they suffered from hemophilia.

If we turn to religion, in Islam and Christianity consanguineous marriages are considered a sin.

The meaning of close and distant degrees of biological relationship

Depending on the number of births separating individuals from a common ancestor, the degree of kinship in family relationships is revealed. Moreover, this concept applies only to blood unions.

There are several degrees:

this includes only fathers and mothers and the children born to them, regardless of their number and gender;
it is established between grandchildren and grandparents;
the third degree is characterized by great-grandparents (great-grandparents), as well as their great-grandchildren. This also includes nephews and nieces, as well as aunts and uncles;
Cousins are included here.

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The most common human genetic diseases associated with incest

Consanguineous marriages have dire consequences. There are many genetic mutations that can occur during incest:

Albinism. This mutation is characterized by the absence of melanin. This pigment gives color to hair and skin.
Hemophilia. This disease is characterized by a blood clotting disorder.
Infertility. Some men and women born as a result of incest are unable to have children.
Dwarfism.
Asymmetry. All people have facial asymmetry, but in children of close relatives it is most pronounced.
Exhausted immune system. Children born as a result of incest do not have allele diversity. For this reason, it is difficult for the body to fight diseases.
Microcephaly. The disease is characterized by a decrease in the size of the brain and skull. This disease is also characterized by mental deficiency.

Is it possible to marry between relatives in Russia?

From a religious point of view, incest is prohibited, in particular by the Bible. History mentions tribes in which people entered into closely related relationships. This was due to the desire to preserve the purity of their own family.

To achieve this, it was customary to marry close relatives. Consequently, the tribe later died out, as the couples were unable to produce healthy offspring.

In many states, such unions between close relatives to varying degrees of kinship are not only not supported, but are also prohibited by law and are equated to committing a serious crime. This is due not only to physiological, but also to ethical considerations.

On the territory of the Russian Federation Art. 14 of the IC does not allow the formalization of official relations between people who are related in a direct line. In other words, the law prohibits the formalization of official relations between parents and children, as well as grandparents and grandchildren.

This information suggests that siblings, adoptive parents and adopted children cannot marry. Despite all this, no official confirmation or refutation of the presence of closely related ties is needed in the registry office.

In our country it is also prohibited to register marriages between uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews, cousins:

between stepbrother and sister
. Step-relatives are a type of family ties that arise when two parents enter into a second union between children from previous marriages. Half-brothers and sisters do not have a common father and mother. They are connected exclusively by family relationships, but by no means biological kinship. Accordingly, people who are not related by blood, but are half-brothers and half-sisters, have the right to enter into legal marriage. This is permissible from a legal point of view;
between cousins/second cousins . On the territory of Russia it is illegal to enter into intimate relationships with first and second cousins;
between uncle and niece. In Russia, it is prohibited by current legislation to register marriages between uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews.

Marriage between cousins

As for marriages between relatives, most often disputes arise specifically over marriages between cousins.

Everything is explained very simply - marriages between persons of the first degree of kinship are prohibited, almost everyone agrees with this. Marriages between distant relatives are not prohibited and do not cause special condemnation.

But marriages between cousins cause a lot of disagreement between scientists, doctors, church ministers and between relatives of those who want to enter into such a union.

Marriages between cousins were for a long time under a moral prohibition. And in many states of America they are outlawed.

But the theory of genetic incompatibility, which became the basis of such beliefs, does not find scientific evidence.

In the modern world, the scientific community is fighting for the right of everyone to register a marriage with a loved one.

Cousins can marry; this is not legally prohibited.

British researchers have come to the conclusion that all laws that prohibit such marriages are a legitimate form of genetic and sexual discrimination.

Researchers have spent a long time studying modern statistics and historical data and have come to the unequivocal conclusion that children born in marriage between first cousins have the same chances of birth defects and genetic diseases as any other babies.

Scientists attribute the ban on such families to social rather than genetic factors.

The likelihood of developing hereditary diseases in marriages of first cousins is approximately 2% higher than in marriages of non-relatives. If you have common ancestors, the risk of carrying the altered gene increases.

If both parents have such a gene, then together with a healthy gene, the chance of the diseased gene appearing is 25%. When two altered genes are found in a couple, the risk that the children in such a marriage will have anomalies is 50%.

The accuracy of the forecast depends on how complete the pedigree information is . It is important to have data on the number of relatives, hereditary diseases and the development of defects in them.

But in any case, without a genetic examination, medical professionals do not advise cousins to think about having children together.

The problem of marriage between cousins affects moral, spiritual and physiological aspects. Each person has the right to make his own choice and no one has the right to influence him.

Starting a family is one of the main stages in the life of mankind. In Russia, as in all civilized countries, marriage between close relatives is considered illegal.

Article 14 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation outlines a direct prohibition on marriage between persons who are closely related.

But there are no legal obstacles to creating families between brothers and sisters who do not have common parents - first and second cousins . Therefore, marriage between such relatives is possible.

2 comments on the article “Which relatives can you marry?”

V
Waldemar writes:
Which relatives can you marry?
Answer
V
Anonymous writes:
In principle, I agree on many things.
Read also: How to check debts that may prevent you from going abroad
Everyone must understand why they are going into a related marriage and for what purpose. If this is love, then all the ensuing risks must be calculated as best as possible. But I think marriage between siblings from the same parents is not acceptable.
Answer

Does the church prohibit unions in which the bride and groom are relatives?

The conditions for concluding marriages, which are established by current legislation and church regulations, have significant differences. Therefore, not every marriage that was registered in the registry office can be permitted by the church.

Church marriage between relatives up to the fourth degree of kinship is strictly prohibited . In other words, between brother and sister.

In addition to kinship relations, a serious prohibition on formalizing a union is the rapprochement of two clans through the union of their representatives. This is similar to blood relationship. Religion implies that upon marriage, a man and a woman become blood relatives.

They are one flesh. The so-called property relations imply that relatives also include father-in-law, son-in-law, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepfather, stepdaughter, brother-in-law.

It is worth noting that religion also opposes the conclusion of a church union between godparents and godchildren. It is also prohibited for two adoptive children of the same child to formalize their relationship.

As a rule, there are no strict canonical obstacles to marriage, but at the moment permission for such a relationship is very difficult to obtain. To do this, you need to submit a petition to the ruling bishop.

Conditions and reasons for strengthening ties between relatives

At the insistence of genetic scientists, in many progressive countries of the modern world, marriage between blood relatives is prohibited at the legislative level.

The Family Code of the Russian Federation also does not allow consanguineous people to join a family union.

relatives under no circumstances. In this case, even the woman’s possible pregnancy is not a basis for officially registering the relationship.

In fact, marriages between relatives can be registered. When submitting an application to the registry office, the law does not establish the obligation of newlyweds to confirm or deny existing kinship. If they are silent about the presence of family ties, the marriage will be registered, but subsequently it may be declared invalid.

Official registration of marital relations between the adoptive parent and the adopted child is possible only if the adoption is cancelled.

Why is it dangerous to marry blood relatives?

For several decades now, there has been an opinion that marriages between relatives provoke a high probability of encountering the same problem genes.

In this case, we are talking about diseases such as hemophilia, Down syndrome and other diseases.

If, with normal intimacy between two people who are not related to each other, there is a risk of having a child with congenital pathologies and mental retardation, then with consanguinity the risk increases approximately five times.

In addition, according to research by many geneticists, in consanguineous marriages the likelihood of stillbirth increases by a quarter. The risk of premature death at an early age increases by 34%. And the likelihood of deformities and other defects in fetal development increases by 50%.

Geneticists have proven a certain pattern in the frequency of pathologies, congenital diseases, mental and other abnormalities in babies born as a result of incest.

In the study of various hereditary diseases, great importance is given to consanguineous marriages. It has been proven that incest can lead to genetic mutations in the fetus, as well as degeneration of the offspring.

Geneticists' opinions on consanguineous marriages

When formalizing relations between relatives, there is a possibility of a stillbirth, a miscarriage, the appearance of chronic illnesses in children in the future, as well as delayed mental development and speech disorders.

Even a born baby may have body features: too tall or short, high or low weight. Based on these signs, one can suspect the presence of a genetic disease.

A so-called “spoiled” gene may be present in the genetic apparatus of a husband or wife. It can be dominant or recessive. Such a gene will suppress a healthy one.

A damaged section of a DNA molecule can be recessive for many generations and later become dominant. This is precisely the reason why a child gets some kind of hereditary disease.

Chromosome set and human genome

The chromosome set of sperm and egg is represented by 23 chromosomes. During fertilization, each chromosome from a male cell finds its pair from a female cell, and the result is a zygote (fertilized egg) with a paired set of chromosomes. With further division of the zygote, each cell of the new organism also has strictly 23 pairs of chromosomes. The process of preserving the chromosome set in cells during their division continues after birth throughout life. All cells of the human body have the same 23 pairs or 46 chromosomes that were obtained during fertilization.

Genome - a set of genes in the chromosomes of an organism's cells. The genome contains biological information for the growth and development of an organism.
A gene (Greek γένος - genus) is a structural and functional unit of human heredity, which is a section of DNA and is a matrix for the synthesis of proteins. Genes determine hereditary traits that are passed on from parents to offspring.
The human genome contains about 28,000 genes.

The exact location of each gene on a particular chromosome is called that gene's locus. Some genes on chromosomes are nonfunctional or defective. In some cases, this is manifested by the degree of severity of the symptom. For example, in blondes, hair color is determined by the absence of the gene responsible for hair pigmentation. In other cases, a gene defect leads to disease. For example, phenylketonuria, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, Konovalov-Wilson disease, hereditary diseases of the eyes, skin, hereditary degenerative diseases of the joints, hereditary diseases of the nervous system. As a rule, this is a severe pathology, in some cases incompatible with life. Fortunately, gene diseases are rare in clinical practice. But closely related marriages increase this probability by an order of magnitude. Why?

Blood ties

Kinship between people is determined by degrees and lines. 1st degree of relationship - parents and children, 2nd - grandparents and their grandchildren, 3rd - aunts and uncles and nephews and nieces, and so on. This is the so-called straight line. It is clear that marriages between representatives of the direct line are strictly prohibited (Silchenkov, “Practical guidance for performing parish services”). The lateral line reflects, for example, the relationship between first and second cousins. The lateral line is also measured in similar degrees.

Even the Trullo Council, which was convened in 691, namely the 54th rule established by it, called for the dissolution of marriages between cousins. By the decree of the Holy Synod of January 19, 1810, it was forbidden to create families for those who stay with their future husband (wife) up to the 4th degree of collateral relationship, inclusive. Thus, from that moment on, a man could no longer marry his second cousin.

Sites for girls

We want to baptize our little son, but we cannot find believing godparents. Why can’t natural parents be godparents? Can the baby's older sister be godmother? Ksenia Dear Ksenia! Talk to the priest of the temple where you will baptize the baby, perhaps he will suggest you good godparents from the same parish. Church canons prohibit the baby's parents from being godparents; the older sister can be godmother. But the first demand for raising a child in faith is from the parents. Before baptism, it is good if the parents confess and receive communion, and in the future they regularly begin the sacraments. God help, priest Alexander Ilyashenko

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I found out that as a child I became the goddaughter of my mother’s friend. Mom does not maintain a relationship with this woman. Tell me, is there anything I can do for her now? Elena Hello, Elena! It is quite strange that at such an early age you became a godmother. However, if this bothers you and you feel that you must at least partially fulfill your duty, then pray for your goddaughter - may the All-Merciful Lord guide her on the path of righteousness! Peace and blessings of God be upon you! Priest Alexy Kolosov

Blood marriage...

Children from a related marriage can be normal, healthy and even talented, such as Charles Darwin, Abraham Lincoln or Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, who was born from the marriage of an uncle with a second cousin.

And the legendary Cleopatra, who became famous for centuries not only for her beauty, but also for her intelligence? Born from the union of siblings, she later also married her siblings.

Yes, exactly for my siblings. For in ancient times, in many royal houses only intra-family or, as geneticists say, incestuous marriages were concluded. Thus, members of the ruling dynasties sought to maintain the purity of their blood. “Not a drop of other people’s blood!” - said the rule, and, according to it, from generation to generation, only elite, “trademark” blue blood flowed in the veins of many Egyptian pharaohs, rulers of the Greco-Macedonian dynasty, and leaders of the Incas.

Alas, as it turned out, it did not guarantee the birth of wise, strong in spirit and body offspring. Quite often in such families there were children affected by mental and physical illnesses.

They always tried to hide such cases. But there is nothing secret that would not become obvious.

Centuries passed, and now, examining the mummy of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, whose mother was also his half-sister, scientists came to the conclusion that the cause of his early death was a severe hereditary disease. Geneticists believe that the degeneration of the Ptolemaic dynasty is due to consanguineous marriages.

Why is consanguineous marriage dangerous?

Let's leave aside ethical, moral and religious considerations. We will rely on the immutable laws of genetics.

There is such a thing as inbreeding coefficient

. For uncles and nieces it is 1/8, for cousins - 1/16, for second cousins - 1/32, for fourth cousins - 1/64. These eighths, sixteenths and thirty-seconds indicate that the further the relationship, the fewer similar, identical genes in the genetic apparatus of each relative. From which it follows that in a consanguineous marriage, the likelihood of sick offspring directly depends on the degree of relationship between the spouses.

The concept of family ties and their legal consequences

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Kinship is a special relationship between people who have the same roots. Individuals in such connections are considered relatives, maintain close friendships and communicate frequently. There are also family ties. They show who this or that relative is to a person.

Varieties of related lines

The following types of kinship are distinguished: cognates and agnates. Cognates are blood relatives, the so-called real ancestors or future successors of the dynasty.

Agnates are family members who entered it as a result of a new marriage or adoption procedure.

The existing concept of kinship has a connection with family relationships and dates back to ancient times. The vast majority of names appeared in Ancient Rome. It was believed that a family had only one head: the father. All power belonged to him. In southern countries the situation has not changed to this day.

Lines of consanguinity

Consanguinity lines are divided into direct and lateral. Representatives of straight lines are persons descended sequentially from one another.

The resulting straight line underlies the creation of the term “direct relatives” and allows us to identify the closest ones.

The closest relatives are twins. They are identical and fraternal. In the first group, children are born that are similar to each other, difficult to distinguish even by their clothes.

An example of close ties is exclusively direct kinship. According to the law of the Russian Federation, marriage between close relatives is prohibited. This is associated with a high risk of having a defective child and a violation of ethical standards. It is believed that entering into such a marriage spoils the genetic code.

Collateral kinship includes people descended from the same ancestor: two brothers or two sisters, half-children (individuals born of the same father). Representatives of the species are also relatives distant from each other by several generations: half-relatives, first cousins, second cousins, etc.

A relative is pregnant, what to do?

If we are talking about a pregnant cousin, then you can marry her. If the sister is your own, then getting married will not work. However, in this case, paternity can be established through the court or voluntarily.

If paternity is established, then alimony will be collected from the father. These funds are intended for the maintenance of a minor.

There are two ways to collect alimony:

On a voluntary basis.
Through the court.

In the first case, it is enough for relatives to draw up an agreement and have it certified by a notary. If your sibling refuses to pay child support, you will have to file a lawsuit. You must contact the bailiffs with this document.