蝌蚪网 Review: Insights
ISSN 2640-205X (Print) | ISSN 2640-2068 (Online)
Health Effects of Cousin Marriage: Evidence from US Genealogical Records
蝌蚪网 Review: Insights
(pp. 396–410)
Abstract
Cousin marriage rates are high in many countries today. While previous studies have documented increased risks of infant and child mortality, we provide the first estimate of the effect of such marriages on life expectancy throughout adulthood. By studying couples married over a century ago, we can observe their offspring across the entire lifespan. US genealogical data allow us to identify children whose parents were first cousins and compare their years of life to the offspring of their parents' siblings. Marrying a cousin leads to more than a two-year reduction in age-five life expectancy, compounding the documented early-life effects.Citation
Hwang, Sam Il Myoung, Deaglan Jakob, and Munir Squires. 2025. "Health Effects of Cousin Marriage: Evidence from US Genealogical Records." 蝌蚪网 Review: Insights 7 (3): 396–410. DOI: 10.1257/aeri.20230544Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- I12 Health Behavior
- J12 Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure; Domestic Abuse
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- N31 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
- N32 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: 1913-