: For first cousins, the risk increases to roughly 6%. While this is a doubling of the baseline, some researchers argue it is not as high as public stigma suggests.
: 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 Kissin' Cousins
: Elvis Presley famously starred in the 1964 musical film Kissin' Cousins , where the title track lightheartedly suggests that a "distant cousin" is fair game for romance. : For first cousins, the risk increases to roughly 6%
While the "inbred" stereotype is common in media, scientific research offers a more nuanced view of the risks. : For first cousins