Can you date cousin

For all practical purposes, consanguineous unions are defined as those which are contracted between biologically related second cousins or nearer. Be prepared for an ambiguous response If you are dating your cousin, it is better you prepare yourself for a certain ambiguity in response from friends and acquaintances.

While it is none of their business who you are seeing, the fact that you are dating a cousin may raise a few eyebrows and lead to whispers all around. This is because a relationship with a blood relative is considered undesirable or at least odd in many societies. Even though it is not taboo as an incestuous relationship, still dating a cousin may subject you and your partner to some uncomfortable questions.

However the most difficult reaction could come from your families. It could come as a shock to your parents — and those of your dates — when they realize that their children are dating their cousins.

Members of the same extended family being in a romantic relationship is not particularly a pleasant thought and there could be strong pressure from your parents — and your extended family — to stop seeing your cousin. Whether you give in to such pressure or defy them would depend on how deeply you feel about your partner and whether you can support each other should your parents decide to cut you off from family resources.

The taboo and the forbidden at times work as strong forces that draw you towards a particular kind of behavior. Ask yourself if your wish to date a cousin is motivated by similar reasons.

If so, it is better you put an end to it. If the only reason you are dating your cousin is that you like the thrill of the forbidden, then you are cheating yourself as well as being unfair to your partner. In then end this kind of relationship based on a shallow sensation and momentary high cannot last.

On the other hand if you love your cousin because of the values and interests you share and because you like to be with each other more than anyone else, there is no reason why you should not keep dating each other. As with other kinds of relationships, let the love and honesty in your heart be the guiding factors when you are faced with the question of the future of your dating relationship. Consider the legal aspect Legally there is nothing wrong with dating a cousin. However if you wish to take your relationship to a more committed level, you need to be aware of some of the legal consequences of marrying a cousin.

Signed, Jus' need advice from a 3rd party Dear Jus' need advice from a 3rd party Newborns with genetic disorders such as spina bifida or cystic fibrosis are more likely to be born of blood relatives because previously unexpressed recessive genes are more likely to appear.

First cousins are two-times more likely to bear offspring with a birth defect than children born of couples who don't share a common grandparent. If cousin couples happen to be carrying known genetic diseases, the risks faced by their offspring can jump.

Experts say 1 out of 4 such children will have some sort of disorder. Legally, you can date and be intimate with your first cousin, but if you are considering marriage, laws vary by state and country. In the U. You can find out more about family law in your own state by contacting a legal services office, a law school that offers legal services to students and the public, or searching your state's homepage on the internet.

You can also look it up under "marriage" or "domestic relationships" in the legal statutes for your state paper copies are found in a state government office. Regarding your question of the moral consequences of dating your first cousin, it's up to the two of you to know what your values are, what you're thinking about for the future, and what's best for you as individuals, a couple, and a family.

First cousins share a small amount of DNA inherited from a set of grandparents that they have in common. It is possible the shared DNA might happen to contain the same marker for a genetic condition, thus cousin couples can have a higher chance of pregnancy loss or a child born with special health needs. The baseline chance for a birth defect or other special health needs in any child is around percent. Having parents who are first cousins bumps that risk to percent.

Second and third cousins have progressively lower risks for their offspring compared to first cousins, and by fourth cousins sharing great-great-great-grandparents , the chance does not differ much from that of the general population. Partners who know they are related to one another as second cousins or more closely might consider meeting with a genetic counselor if conception of a pregnancy is possible. A genetic counselor would never tell a couple whether to have children or force them to be tested, but instead would provide information and support for decision-making.

No matter what choice a couple ultimately makes, many people find it helpful to ask their questions in the open, supportive setting of a genetic counseling session. I would advise those who are interested in more information on this topic to visit CousinCouples. You can also find information about genetic counseling in the resources section of my site, WatershedDNA. Based on all of this information, it sounds as if you are in the clear to date your fourth cousin.