Why does inbreeding cause birth defects?
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It is not uncommon to be the bearer of several recessive genetic diseases. Our genes are quite often wrong, this is why we have two copies of most genes. If one does not work then at least the other one does. However these faulty genes with the recessive genetic disease will get transfered to half your offspring. And if these offspring start having their own babies it is likely that the baby will inherit the same faulty copy of a gene from both their parents.
The reason it causes birth defects is that this is the first time these faulty genes will show themselves. There are genetic diseases which only become evident later on but many of them can be diagnosed right at birth, or even before.
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