[CholeraJoe]

There are 24 states that prohibit marriage between first-cousins.

Meaning that 26 permit it. No one has yet demonstrated an increase in stillbirths or genetic defects in first cousin consanguinity.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Meaning that 26 permit it. No one has yet demonstrated an increase in stillbirths or genetic defects in first cousin consanguinity.

Not sure about that. Over in Britain, the Muslim population from Pakistan routinely engages in first-cousin marriage and has demonstrated a statistically significant higher level in all kinds of genetic disorders and mental retardation.

[allmendream]

In some cultures first cousin consanguinity is the norm.

They also have no demonstrated increase in stillbirths or genetic defects, although such a system might tend to eliminate double recessive lethal mutations after several generations; no hard data on that AFAIK.

[brownsfan]

“Meaning that 26 permit it. No one has yet demonstrated an increase in stillbirths or genetic defects in first cousin consanguinity.”

But most people can confirm the “ewwwwww” factor.

[xsmommy]

yer jess sayin that cuz you’re a ‘bama... ; )

[secret garden]

But it makes for smaller family reunions, n’est-ce pas?

[secret garden]

I was waiting in class for you to comment about the lack of any BP info on the big zero’s PE results.

[ApplegateRanch]

No one has yet demonstrated an increase in stillbirths or genetic defects in first cousin consanguinity.

Arabs...mental defects, usually expressed as "Islam". ;-)

British royal family...no need to go into it; it is self evident. ;-)

More serious:

09/23/2009 IN THE NEWS: Arab and Muslim Inbreeding Causes Extensive Genetic Defects

---

A 1994 study found a mean excess mortality with inbreeding at the first cousin level of 4.4%.[41] 41.^ Bittles, A.H. (2001). A Background Background Summary of Consaguineous marriage. consang.net. http://www.consang.net/images/d/dd/01AHBWeb3.pdf. Retrieved 2010 , citing Bittles, A.H.; Neel, J.V. (1994). "The costs of human inbreeding and their implications for variation at the DNA level". Nature Genetics (8): 117-121.

---

According to one paper (Jaber et al, Community Genetics, 1998), congenital malformations are 2.5 times more common among offspring of inbred couples than of unrelated parents.
A famous example is the "blue Fugates," members of an inbred Kentucky hill clan who suffered from a rare genetic blood disorder that made their skin look blue. (Please see: The Straight Dope: Is there really a race of blue people?) Are there inbred families in the Ozarks/Appalachians like in Deliverance? and scroll to #2.

[FreedomPoster]

>>No one has yet demonstrated an increase in stillbirths or genetic defects in first cousin consanguinity.

I’m not sure that’s the case at all. Apparently consanguinity is widespread in the Middle East, and a problem. Do some searches with the keywords Middle East Consanguinity and you get hits like this:

Consanguineous marriages in the Middle East: Trends, impact on reproductive health and research priorities
http://www.gfmer.ch/Medical_genetics_education_research/pdf/Consanguineous_marriages_Hamamy_2009.pdf

[the OlLine Rebel]

You are correct.

We humans simply have the “EEEWWWWW” factor, in which it doesn’t seem right.

Meanwhile, animals themselves will inbreed and there is little “genetic problem”.