Kissin' Cousins Page

: Children of unrelated parents have a 3% risk of congenital defects.

: Throughout much of human history, marrying cousins was common to preserve wealth, maintain social status, or secure political alliances. An estimated 80% of all historical marriages were between first or second cousins. Kissin' Cousins

: Significant genetic issues, such as those seen in the "Habsburg jaw," typically result from centuries of continuous intermarrying within a small, closed gene pool rather than a single generation. Pop Culture and Media Representations : Children of unrelated parents have a 3%