Jump to content

Is it time to ban first cousin marriage


should we a a nation ban first cousin marriage?  

102 members have voted

  1. 1. should we a a nation ban first cousin marriage?



Recommended Posts

Well this argument is based on probability and outcomes.

 

Basically there is a 25% chance that the child will be disabled.

 

Back to my question-since you're calling for a ban on 1st cousins marrying, if there's a higher probability of older mothers having a disabled child, would you also call for a ban on them having children too?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well this argument is based on probability and outcomes.

 

So basically the probabilitys are very far apart, as will be the outcomes then? Or the probabilitys would be wrong?

 

 

the mendelian probabilities say 1:4 chance of a child being healthy if both parents are carriers. 1:2 chance of being carriers of the condition, and a 1:4 chance of the child being affected by the condition.

 

That's the theory, but it may not work like that. the friends of mine who had a child with Cystic Fibrosis had a 1:4 chance of them having a child with CF, 1:2 chance of the child being a carrier, and a 1:4 chance of the child being unaffected. (neither a carrier nor a "sufferer" of CF) In fact, of three pregnancies they had two pregnancies where the child had CF; one of which was miscarried, and one of which was a live birth but who only lived to age seven. the daughter did not have CF, but I cannot say whether she was a carrier or a non-carrier of the gene. This family were more adversely affected by the CF gene than the mendelian calculations would have predicted. that's the difference between prediction and outcomes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're confusing the probability of something happening to actual outcomes.

 

In this case, 1st cousin marriages have a higher risk of having a child with a disability. It doesn't mean that it will actually happen. Infact the majority of children born are perfectly healthy and well.

 

Just the same as older women giving birth. They have much higher chance of giving birth to a child with a disability, the majority don't and babies are well.

 

Correct!

 

The countless other marriages between cousins where there were no problems passed on genetically, weren't featured, because a parade of healthy offspring in a programme designed to scandalise us about disabilities and deformities simply isn't going to make good TV!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The countless other marriages between cousins where there were no problems passed on genetically, weren't featured, because a parade of healthy offspring in a programme designed to scandalise us about disabilities and deformities simply isn't going to make good TV!

 

The program was aiming to highlight a problem, showing loads of people who don't have the problem doesn't really achieve that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.