Inbreeding is the mating of individuals or organisms that are closely related through common ancestry. In humans, it's associated with consanguinity, defined as a union between two individuals who are related as second cousins or closer. History records that inbreeding was commonplace in antiquity, and probably even earlier. Today, cultural taboos, parental education, and greater awareness of inbreeding consequences have played large roles in minimizing inbreeding frequencies in Europe and throughout the Western world. But the custom is still practiced in other regions of the globe, and the health risks of doing so remain serious. But what exactly are the inherent dangers of human inbreeding?
Click through and find out what happens when you go against the biological aim of procreating.