After 50, like brother and sister. Is it possible to marry your cousin? Marriage between cousins - consequences. Family ties: a genetic perspective

Hello, Artem.

Legal aspects of marriages between relatives

Regardless of your motives for being interested in such things, formal marriage between brothers and sisters is impossible. The point in this case is not even in the moral and moral aspects of the issue - this remains at the discretion of the participants in such relations. Close kinship is a legal obstacle to marriage at the official level.

According to the norms of the Family Code of the Russian Federation (Article 14), close relatives (i.e. people with close kinship) are parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, brothers and sisters. These same categories of relatives, according to the same article, are divided into full and half-relative.

If a brother and sister have the same father and mother, then they are considered full-blooded. Those who have:

common father, but different mothers (half-blooded);
common mother, but different fathers (half-uterine).

You can often come across the expression “half-brother and sister,” which means half-brother and half-brother and sister. This is fundamentally wrong, because such a sister and brother are not step-brothers. Stepchildren are the children of each spouse from previous marriages, i.e. having neither a common father nor a common mother. It is precisely such brother and sister who may well enter into legal marriages, and this is quite acceptable from a legislative point of view. Cousins can also enter into official relations and register a marriage at the registry office.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that if an official marriage between siblings is entered into by mistake, it will subsequently be declared invalid in court.

Disorders in children from incestuous relationships

Unfortunately, there are also cases when a brother and sister do not seek to register a legal relationship, but secretly from others they live a sexual life and even give birth to descendants.

Incest is marriage and sexual relations between people who are related by blood. Such connections and the results of these connections lead to genetic purity, and this entails a decrease in the vitality of the organism. The fact is that combinations of genes (when they are different, and this happens if the partners are not related) enhance the ability of descendants to survive. If the genes are the same (for example, in a sibling), then the combinations are minimal, as is the body’s ability to develop normally.

Such risks are directly proportional to how closely related those who give birth to common children are. Genetic pathologies are possible even in the absence of family ties, but the percentage of risk is incomparable. “Sick” genes in children from relatives can “dormant” until such a child himself produces a descendant. If this child is also from a close relative, then “sick” genes will definitely occur. If the descendants of children from incestuous relationships give birth to children from those who are not related to them, then the “healthy” gene of the partner will certainly suppress the “sick” one.

Since genetics is an exact science, for the sake of fairness we can add that deviations in children from marriages of close relatives occur only in 2 cases out of 8. And the only advantage of such connections is the transfer of good intelligence, which is not lost (for example, the ability to hear and vision), but, on the contrary, doubles.

Sincerely, Natalia.

I have a problem, or not, I don’t even know. My girlfriend and I have known each other for 7 years, and we have been living together for 5. Relatives are already people, we respect each other, we value each other. But we live like brother and sister - we are no longer attracted to each other at all. I don’t want anything: no sex, no travel, no candlelight dinner. An ideal weekend: watching our favorite movie with a bottle of wine, me in stretched sweatpants, she with unwashed hair and a holey robe. Why be shy, we are already like relatives. About six months ago, she began hinting at “legalizing” our relationship (wedding and all that), and my parents are also on her side (they even promise to give us an apartment for the wedding). But I don’t need all this, because... I’m already happy with everything: she’s good, she’s economical, she wants a child. But I don't want a wedding. What should I do?

Andrey, Russia, 27 years old / 01/29/18

Our experts' opinions

Alyona

Andrey, what will happen if you meet another girl, also quite economical, but one with whom you want both sex and dinner at the end of the world by candlelight? Or another question: what will happen if your current girlfriend says that she is tired of living such a life and waiting for weather by the sea, packs her things and leaves you? Apathy and indifference in relationships are a bad symptom. When people calm down and stop trying, stop inspiring each other, their union is in danger. Because any active, motivated person from the outside will be able to destroy your relationship, and will do it banally and simply - by introducing romance, intrigue, passion into communication with one of you. What will you do if you meet such a hot girl tomorrow? And with enough brains to not walk around in front of you with an unwashed hair and a dirty T-shirt? It seems to me that you and your girlfriend, before twitching and deciding where to move next, need to sit down and discuss what is happening between you now. If you are truly “relative people already,” it will not be difficult for you to tell her that you would like to see her beautiful not only when she goes to work, and that her torn robe does not inspire you to masculine exploits. Yes, and I would take a closer look at myself. Nowadays, what’s easier is to buy new home clothes for yourself and your girlfriend. Buy her a new robe, or something. I don't see the point in living in a relationship that doesn't inspire me. But on the other hand, you always first need to ask yourself: did you yourself somehow try to inspire your partner? Have you yourself tried to improve something, to advance something in your relationship? Try. What does not require effort is of little value. You are in just such a period now. You seem to have everything, they only ask you to go to the registry office. What would happen if your girlfriend had another candidate for husband? Would you let him go without any problems? Or from the opera “you need such a cow yourself”? Think about it all. If the thought that your girlfriend might have someone else doesn’t bother you, then it’s better to break up now and not waste her time or yours. If you understand that if an opponent appeared, you would be afraid of losing her, then you need to start swinging and change what doesn’t suit you in the pair, but keep the pair. There is nothing shameful in telling your loved one with whom you have lived for so long: “Come on, let’s buy you a new robe, otherwise this one is completely torn.” And actually buy it. If a girl is not a complete fool, but simply a victim of family traditions (only in a house where her mother allowed herself to be unkempt, can a girl grow up who doesn’t care what she wears in front of her beloved man), then she will understand what is important to you, how she looks and will begin to change. But here you should do something in the same direction. At least buy new sweatpants too... And then, you see, the passion will return. Or send each other with all your claims. But this is also a way out.
Sergey

Andrey, in my opinion, each of us is free to choose what to do, when and with whom. There are people who are active, determined, clearly understand what they want and go towards it. There are also amoebas that float with the flow. And persuading any of them to do something that is not natural is completely useless. No one can cope here except life itself. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will want to do anything decisive, even if it is necessary from my point of view. So, there’s probably no need to do anything just yet. Live in your existing “good”, enjoy it while you can, because the current situation will most likely not last long. Apparently, your friend is tired of her uncertain status, and the situation has become “stressful,” and therefore, in the very near future, apparently, big changes await you. I believe that after a while the young woman will move from hints about marriage to direct questions that you cannot answer. As a result, resentment and abuse will begin, followed by disappointment and, as a result, even greater tension will arise. And after some time, it is quite likely that you will finally bring the situation to the point of absurdity and break up. Well, or the girl will find herself another, more determined man and go to him. Is it worth waiting for all this if you already don’t understand why you are together, I don’t know. Or rather, from my point of view, the answer is obvious, and I wouldn’t waste time on what, it’s unclear. After all, if there is no desire to have something serious, official with a given person, then continuing to communicate with him is simply stupidity and a waste of time. However, it is quite possible that you are from the MacLeod clan, and therefore, in principle, you do not know about age-related health problems, but you may well think about children towards the end of the millennium. Agree, in such situations, admonishing a person to take a more responsible approach to his life, reminding him that time is not rubber, and that health is not eternal, is somewhat stupid. So I won't. Besides, another option is also possible. Your friend can come to an agreement with your relatives, and with their consent, stop using protection. Although you are not attracted to each other, sex happens one way or another. Although not daily. But in this case, you may not need much. Once, and now you are a future dad, with all the ensuing consequences. Tell me more? I mean, you have to describe who will take you and for what and what stall they will take you to? Probably not. So it turns out that in any case, you can do nothing for now. Live as you live. The rest will be decided for you by those who want to twitch and strain.

Almost every married couple dreams of having a son and daughter. Children are born and the older they become, the greater the alienation between them. Why does this happen and is it possible to change the relationship between brother and sister?

When deciding on a second child, mothers and fathers expect that there will be no room for hostility and quarrels between their children. But expectations are often not met, which greatly upsets parents, and they are forced to come to terms with the situation. There is no longer any question, since children’s conflicts are often picked up by adults.

Rice. Why aren't brother and sister friends?

The ideal age difference between children is three to four years. The eldest child is already getting used to doing without his mother, as he makes friends. He treats the baby like a father: he amuses him and tolerates his whims. If the age difference is small, parents will have to work hard to avoid many unpleasant situations. The older child is curious to watch the younger one, but often he is jealous of his brother or sister towards his mother and is afraid that she has begun to love him less. These feelings often manifest themselves in the form of aggression and whims. Parents should help him get used to the new situation by offering a suitable behavior pattern.

It is a big mistake to put responsibility for a younger child on the shoulders of an older child and shame him if he does not cope well with it. Of course, you need to involve the elder in caring for the baby - this develops responsibility and independence, but the requirements should not be excessive. When a child thinks at every step about how not to disappoint his parents, the relationship between him and his little brother or sister will subsequently be quite tense.

If parents are overly strict towards the older one, and cherish and pamper the younger one, then the first one will grow up to be an insecure and uncommunicative person. Psychologists believe that many conflicts will not arise if the eldest boy in the family and the youngest girl. Older brothers usually grow up to be confident people who can stand up for themselves. The role of a younger sister has a positive effect on a girl's development. From an early age she communicates with the opposite sex, so she feels free in the future among men. Parents should develop the gender abilities of their son and daughter: praise the boy for masculine actions and try to draw the girl’s attention to this. The daughter needs to be told more often how kind, gentle and attractive she is.

If the eldest girl in the family, you need to avoid raising her to be a man in a skirt. Often, from an early age, an older sister feels like a leader and tries to subjugate her brother, and subsequently other men. A son, as a result of excessive sisterly care, may grow up weak, constantly expecting care and instructions from the opposite sex.

The firstborn must be prepared for the arrival of a brother or sister. In the future, you should never compare them and hang offensive labels. If a conflict occurs, it is necessary to separate the children into different rooms and give them time to think, and not force them to immediately ask each other for forgiveness and make peace. Ways should be found to rid children of evil and anger. For example, as soon as they start to get angry, give them pencils and paper and ask them to draw themselves in anger. Then unsightly portraits should be torn up and thrown away. This technique contributes to the outburst of momentary aggression and puts one in a peaceful mood.

It is believed that consanguineous marriages sharply increase the likelihood of genetic hereditary diseases in such people. A marriage is consanguineous if the man has a common ancestor in 3-4 previous generations. The higher the degree of relationship, the higher the risks. Parents and their children, brothers and sisters have the highest degree of kinship.

Each child receives a certain set of genes from his mother and father. When a child is conceived as a result of a relationship between relatives, the damaged gene of one parent cannot be replaced by the healthy gene of the other, since close relatives have a combined set of genes. Thus, the risk of a child inheriting damaged genes and genetic hereditary diseases increases, as well as the risk of having a congenital development, a stillborn child and the risk of miscarriage.

Influence of various factors

Often, carriers of a recessive damaged gene are healthy themselves and find out about its presence only after they have a sick child who has inherited such a gene. In an ordinary marriage, the probability of having a child with a pathology is 2-4%, and in a related marriage it increases to 4-6%. At first glance, the difference is not that big. But if there were previously hereditary genetic diseases in the family, the risk increases to an average of 12-14%. This possibility can be identified by consulting a geneticist, who will recommend taking the necessary tests.

In general, according to statistics, close relatives often give birth to talented and gifted children, as well as mentally and physically retarded ones, but ordinary children are born less often. It's a kind of lottery. In addition, there is no guarantee that a healthy child will have healthy future offspring.

The danger of incest between siblings is much higher than between first and second cousins. The latter were quite common in ancient times, especially among the families of the nobility and rulers.

Relationships between relatives over several generations are especially dangerous. Over time, the genetic material deteriorates, accumulating mutations and damage, and requires fresh genes to prevent degeneration.

If incest occurs once in a family, the likelihood of having a normal child is quite high. But if it is practiced from generation to generation, then the probability of deformity and birth defects can reach 50% and even 100%. The more genetic diseases there are in the family, the more complicated the situation becomes.

Recent genetic research suggests that distant relatives can marry without serious risk to the offspring. Therefore, in this article we will talk about the moral aspect, religious attitude to this issue and some scientific facts of medicine.

Everyone remembers Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Nowadays, love relationships between distant relatives, especially between cousins, sometimes lead to conflicts between their parents or the condemnation of others. Relatives of both families turn into Montagues and Capulets. In this article, we will find out whether relatives can marry or not, and why.

Recent genetic studies say that first cousins have a 1.9% risk of having affected children. This is not a reason to call such unions a tragedy. Arno Motulski's textbook on genetics covers this topic in more detail. It is necessary to undergo the necessary consultation once again, and that’s it. Therefore, there is no need to worry.

The moral side of the issue

Many people, oddly enough, are concerned about the issue of morality. In Australia, a demonstration was held to demand the repeal of the law prohibiting marriage between cousins. Let's look at two such situations.

Brother and sister live in the same house. One apartment - one family. And the second apartment is a second family. Cousins communicate and frolic every day. And they perceive each other as family. Naturally, even if they are not cousins, but fourth cousins, there can be no talk of any love.

But there is also a second option. Let's say two people live in different families. My second cousin arrived. And her brother invited her to go ice skating or gave her a free tour of the city. Sometimes there are situations when eighth grade schoolchildren come to visit their grandmother. And the three days spent together left an indelible impression. People love each other with all their hearts. But something prevents them from being close.

For some, such relationships are unacceptable, but for others they are quite natural. People decided to officially seal their relationship with the bonds of Hymen and spend the best years of their lives together. Well, we’ll talk about genetics at the end of the article. Everything seems to be going great. But many relatives, even if they are second cousins, cannot overcome the moral barrier. They are tormented by questions: “What will people say?”, “Parents will judge us,” “The Church believes that this is a sin.” Therefore, let's look at the situation from the religious side.

Church attitude

The Koran allows marriages between uncle and niece, aunt and nephew, and relationships between cousins. Previously, the Orthodox Church officially and without special rituals married cousins. But with the coming to power of communism, something changed, and it began to be considered a sin. So, the Orthodox Church in our time considers it a sin for cousins to live together.

And the Catholic Church turns a blind eye to these marriages. Any certificate is suitable for marriage. And in some countries it is customary for Catholics to conduct weddings between cousins. Watch Mexican TV series. In the books “The Count of Monte Cristo” and “War and Peace,” love between cousins took place.

The Protestant Church places no restrictions on relationships between cousins. Sometimes marriages between uncle and niece or between aunt and nephew are allowed. The main thing is that they love each other, and there is no bed before the wedding. However, in Protestant countries there is criminal liability for sexual relations between the closest relatives. For example, in Germany, if a brother and sister, a mother and son, or a father and daughter give birth to a child, they face up to three years in prison.

If anyone wants to approach this issue responsibly and have continuation of the family with their significant other, they are concerned about the likelihood of having sick children. Now, finally, the desire to have normal children remains.

What geneticists say

In every married couple, if they do not have common ancestors, the chance of having a sick child is from 3 to 6 percent, depending on the ecological situation of the environment. To this percentage must be added the risk of sick children as a result of the presence of common genes.

The inbreeding coefficient shows the percentage of genes that are shared. It is calculated using the following formula:

where m is the number of common relatives, n is the number of probands.

Once the coefficient of common relatedness is found, we know what the probability of common genes colliding is. And then Mendel's laws work. 25% of sick children, 50% carriers and 25% of healthy children. This means that when calculating the probability of the appearance of sick offspring, the inbreeding coefficient must be divided by another 4. Roughly speaking, the number of sick children is four times less than the inbreeding coefficient. Arm yourself with basic math and exponentiation. The carriers will never manifest themselves, so they can be neglected.

Here we are not considering incestuous marriages (father - daughter, mother - son, brother and sister having two common parents). With such marriages, inbreeding is 25%, and the probability of giving birth to a freak is about 20%. Why take the risk?

In traditional families where parents are not relatives, the risk of sick children, according to various sources, is 3 - 6%. To simplify the calculations, we assume that the possibility of a healthy baby being born is 95% (in families where the parents are not related).

Finally, let's look at a few examples.

Uncle - niece (or aunt - nephew)

The uncle's common ancestors are mom and dad (for the niece, these are grandparents). The inbreeding coefficient is 2 × (1/2) 3+1 = 1/8 = 12.5%.

Half-brothers and sisters who have only one common parent have the same indicators.

The inbreeding coefficient is (1/2) 2+1 = 1/8 = 12.5%. This means that the probability of sick offspring is the same for all such unions.

Number of sick children = 3.125% (4 times less than the inbreeding coefficient). Statistics say that the risk of disease is from 3 to 6 percent. In a word, taking into account all the necessary factors, 8 - 12% of sick children, or 88 - 92% of healthy offspring. You can have children, but you must undergo genetic testing. In further examples, the number of common ancestors is 2. And after the inbreeding coefficient is found, it must be divided by 4.

Marriage between cousins

The inbreeding coefficient is 2 × (1/2) 4+1 = 1/16 = 6.25%.

The number of sick children = 1.56% (25% if 2 common genes nevertheless collided, which is unlikely). In Japan, where cousin marriage is common in some regions, the risk of disease is only 1.9 percent. If the parents are cousins, 93% of children will be absolutely normal. There is almost no threat to your health, marry for your health.

Keep in mind that in a particular case, if parents identical twins, you can’t have children. The risk is the same as in incest marriages (20% of sick children). Well, fortunately, such cases have not yet happened. If your parents are not identical twins, Everything will be ok. A woman geneticist in the news believes that bans on marriage between cousins are discrimination against ordinary people.

Cousins uncle and niece

Let's consider a situation where a niece decided to marry her great uncle. Number of probands = 5 (2 generations from uncle to his grandmother and 3 generations to his niece). We calculate the inbreeding coefficient. 2 × (1/2) 5+1 = 1/32 = 3.125%. Number of sick children = 0.78%. Well, whether to go to a geneticist or not is up to you.

Second cousins

Common ancestors - great-grandparents. This means that the number of probands = 6 (3 generations from the brother to the common ancestor and 3 generations to the sister). The number of common relatives = 2. We calculate the inbreeding coefficient: 2 × (1/2) 6+1 = 1/64 = 0.0157. Number of sick children = 0.39%. That is, second cousins can have children without thinking about the consequences. There is no need for genetic counseling.

P.S. So, the possibility of having a normal child is:

Uncle and niece - from 88 to 92%;
Cousins - 93%;
Second cousins - 94.61%;
Traditional families - 95%.

In some textbooks on genetics, the probability of sick children from marriages of a second cousin coincides with the background risks. We recommend reading textbooks by Arno Motulski and K. Stern about human genetics in your spare time.