HEALTH REPORT - Study of Cousins Who Marry

By Nancy Steinbach
HEALTH REPORT -April 24, 2002: Study of Cousins Who Marry

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

Sometimes people who are first cousins get married. Two people are first cousins if their mothers are sisters, or
their fathers are brothers, or one’s mother and the other’s father are brother and sister. American researchers
now say it is not as dangerous as had been thought for first cousins to have children.

A new study says that first cousins are only a little more likely than others to have a
child with a serious physical or mental problem, or a genetic² disease. It says the
chance that a child of unrelated parents will be born with a serious problem is
between three and four percent.

The risk for first cousins is increased by between two and three percent, to as much
as seven percent. One researcher says this means about ninety-three percent of the
children of first cousins are normal.

The small increase in risk exists because people in the same family may carry the same genes³ that cause disease.
Scientists say at least five-thousand diseases are caused by these genes. If both parents have a harmful gene¹, it is
more likely that the gene will be passed on to their child. People who are not related share fewer genes, so their
chance of passing such a sickness on to their children is lower.

A committee from the National Society of Genetic Counselors⁴ reported the results of their investigation⁵ in “The
Journal of Genetic Counseling.
”
The group examined six major studies done between Nineteen-Sixty-Five and
Two-Thousand involving thousands of births. The group began the investigation after learning that some genetic

counselors gave wrong information to people who wanted to know if first cousins could safely have children.

The group said in its report that no genetic tests are needed before first cousins have a child. Their report also
noted⁶ that Americans fear such marriages more than people in other parts of the world.

Marriages between first cousins are illegal in at least twenty-four American states. However, no countries in
Europe have such laws. And marriages between cousins are desirable in many parts of the Middle East, Africa
and Asia. The researchers say their study shows that such laws in the United States should be changed.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Nancy Steinbach.

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1 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

2 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

3 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

4 counselors   

n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师

参考例句：

• Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。