Is it possible to get your cousin pregnant

We know based on Victorian data that approximately four in couples will have a baby with a birth defect, which may be mild or severe. First-cousin marriages add extra risk to this, resulting in an approximate doubling of the background risk. This figure is not too different to the general population risk of having a baby with a birth defect.

Most related couples accept this risk and focus instead on general measures to have a healthy baby, such as taking folate, losing weight, and reducing their intake of alcohol and cigarettes. For advice on this topic or if you have concerns about a possible genetic condition in your family, contact the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services or your local clinical genetics service.

Portsmouth Climate Festival — Portsmouth, Portsmouth. Edition: Available editions United Kingdom. Become an author Sign up as a reader Sign in. The flu vaccine can curb flu-related problems for expectant moms, who are at higher risk of complications from the illness. And, the vaccine is safe — studies show no harmful effects to a fetus. It also helps protect a mother and her baby from getting the flu and other viruses in the baby's first year of life.

The Tdap vaccine against tetanus , diphtheria , and pertussis is now recommended for all pregnant women in the second half of each pregnancy, regardless of whether or not they had the vaccine before, or when it was last given. This new recommendation was made in response to a rise in pertussis whooping cough infections, which can be fatal in newborns who have not yet had their routine vaccinations.

In addition to the flu shot and Tdap vaccine, other vaccines the CDC considers safe during pregnancy, but only if truly necessary, are:. Live-virus vaccines — those containing a live organism — aren't recommended for pregnant women because of the risk that the actual infection or disease the vaccine is meant to prevent may be passed along to the unborn baby.

However, this depends on the circumstances and whether the vaccine would ultimately be safer to receive than being exposed to the actual disease. For example, the chickenpox vaccine may be safer to your unborn baby than getting the infection. So, it's important to speak to your doctor if you believe that you may have been exposed to a disease.

For the most part, though, researchers don't know what the risks of some vaccines may be to a fetus. So, it's wise to just wait to be vaccinated unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

Be sure to talk to your doctor before getting any vaccination during pregnancy. Also tell your doctor if you became pregnant within 4 weeks of having a vaccine. And if your workplace requires certain vaccines, be sure to let them know you're pregnant before agreeing to be immunized.

Yes and no. If your doctor thinks it's truly necessary — for your own well-being or your baby's — to get one during your pregnancy, then it's highly unlikely that low levels of X-ray radiation will be harmful. However, if you can safely wait to get an X-ray until after your baby is born, then that's probably the best way to go. Health experts say that X-rays are most likely safe during pregnancy.

Most diagnostic X-rays emit much less than 5 rads, which is the limit of what the FDA suggests a pregnant woman should be exposed to. Different imaging studies use different amounts of radiation and the direction of the X-ray beam also affects the possible exposure to the fetus.

Dental X-rays, for example, aren't cause for much concern because the X-ray area is far from the uterus. Researchers believe that a fetus is more at risk for damage by radiation because of the rapid rate with which its cells are dividing. Always m ake sure that your health care providers including your dentist and the X-ray technician know about your pregnancy before you get an X-ray. Also make sure that your stomach is covered with a lead apron.

If you're concerned and would rather not get an X-ray at all during pregnancy, your doctor may be able to use an MRI magnetic resonance imaging test during the first trimester or an ultrasound anytime. Although some things are unsafe during pregnancy, try not to spend too much time wondering and worrying. When in doubt, just use common sense — if it seems like a bad idea, doesn't need to be done right now, or might be risky, hold off at least until you've talked with your doctor about it.

He or she can likely help ease your mind and may even say it's fine to do something you never expected to be able to do until after your special delivery. Above all, make sure to follow the most important healthy pregnancy habits — eat right; get plenty of rest; steer clear of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco — and you'll be well on your way to keeping both you and your baby healthy. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. The Top Pregnancy Hazards You'll need to be particularly mindful of a handful of things during your pregnancy, some of which are more harmful than others.

Alcohol Should I avoid it? If you're having a hard time cutting out coffee all at once, here's how you can start: Cut your consumption down to one or two cups a day. Gradually reduce the amount by combining decaffeinated coffee with regular coffee. Eventually cut out the regular coffee altogether. Certain Foods Are there some I should avoid? Fish to avoid: shark swordfish king mackerel tilefish tuna steak limited amounts of canned, preferably light, tuna is OK What are the risks to my baby?

To make sure you don't take anything that could put your baby at risk, talk to your doctor about: any medicines you're taking — prescription and OTC — and ask which are safe to take during pregnancy any concerns you have about natural remedies, supplements, and vitamins Also, let all of your health care providers know that you're pregnant so that they'll keep that in mind when recommending or prescribing any medicines.

P Recreational Drugs Should I avoid them? Pregnant women who use drugs may be placing their unborn babies at risk for: premature birth poor growth birth defects behavior and learning problems And their babies could also be born addicted to those drugs.

Smoking Should I avoid it? If a pregnant woman smokes, it could cause: miscarriage or stillbirth prematurity low birth weight sudden infant death syndrome SIDS asthma and other respiratory problems And the risks to a fetus from regular exposure to secondhand smoke include low birth weight and slowed growth. Some are OK, others are best to avoid. Flying Should I avoid it? Wear support stockings to further prevent clotting in your legs.

Keep your seatbelt on when you're seated to keep the jostling of turbulence to a minimum. Hair Dyes Should I avoid them? None that are currently known. It's wise to avoid some exercises and activities, such as: weight training and heavy lifting after the first trimester sit-ups also after the first trimester contact sports scuba diving bouncing jarring anything that would cause a lot of up and down movement, such as horseback riding leaping a sudden change of direction such as downhill skiing anything with an increased risk for falling, like gymnastics What are the risks, if any, to my baby?

P Household Chemicals Should I avoid them? Here a few tips to help keep household chemicals use safe during your pregnancy: Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have with chemicals you use at home or at work. Look at product labels before using any product. If it's unsafe to use during pregnancy, the label should say that it's toxic. Find out not only if it's safe for you to use, but if it's safe for you to be around when being used by someone else. If the label doesn't specify, contact the manufacturer.

Open windows and doors, and use rubber gloves and a mask when cleaning with or using any chemical. Wash your hands and arms, even if you wore gloves, after using any chemical. Opt for natural products like baking soda, borax, and vinegar for cleaning.

Have someone else paint the baby's nursery, as much you'd probably like to do it yourself. And definitely don't help with the removal of paint if your home was built before as it may contain lead-based paint. Although many paints today are considered safer than those of the past, it's still a good idea to let someone else handle painting.

You can always take over the decorating duties after the paint dries! High levels of exposure may cause: miscarriage premature delivery birth defects As for insect repellents which may contain DEET, or diethyltoluamide , the risks aren't fully known. If you have a real problem with pesky bugs around your home, the March of Dimes suggests the following: Use safer methods of removal such as boric acid, which you should be able to find at your local hardware store.

Make sure someone else applies the pesticides. When pesticides are sprayed outside, close all windows and turn off air-conditioning units and window fans to prevent the fumes from entering your home. Remove utensils, food, and dishes from areas where the chemicals will be used.

First cousins share Siblings, as well as parents and kids, share about 50 percent. Any child that results from a first cousin union is, therefore, going to have a pretty substantial portion of similar-looking genes.

And that can pose a problem. In biology, genetic diversity is all the rage. If mom and dad are genetically similar, however, both versions of a gene are likely to shut down at the same time. The real issue would arise if the next generation of kids also married their first cousins. Their offspring will have even more DNA in common—and an even greater chance for birth defects. There are plenty of historical examples of this.

Charles II, the last Hapsburg king, had so many intermarried ancestors that his genes seemed more like the product of a union between siblings than the reality of uncle marrying niece. Take cystic fibrosis. But you need two copies of the defective gene to actually get the disease. So to see how dangerous it is to marry your first cousin, we need to calculate the chances that two first cousins both carry a copy of the same genetic disease. What if one of their children is a carrier vs. And what if those children marry other carriers, or not?

It can get very complicated, very quickly. So, not a big deal right? But there are thousands that could be hiding in your family tree.