Does incest increase the risk of having a child with Down's Syndrome?

Question

For example, father and daughter?

Answer 1

NO! incest plays absolutely no part in causing down syndrome.  

Answer 2

I'm not sure about Downs but definitely raises the risk of other birth defects. Particularly ones that come with MR.

Answer 3

No it doesn't.

Answer 4

I would say yes, as well as other abnormalities.

Answer 5

Yeah, it increases the risk of many other birth defects as well.

Answer 6

hmmm why do you ask?

Answer 7

Incest wouldn't increase the risk of Down Syndrome, which is caused by failure of the chromosomes to split up evenly when a cell divides.  Extra genetic material from Chromosome 21 interferes with proper development of the fetus.  The longer an egg waits before dividing, the more likely it is to divide improperly, so older mothers are more likely to have fetuses with chromosomal abnormalities.  This happens before fertilization, and the status of the father (age, relationship to the mother, etc.) has nothing to do with it.   If the same error occurs in development of a sperm cell, Down Syndrome could come from the father, but this is rare and also uninfluenced by incest.  There are also uncommon cases of Down Syndrome resulting from translocation of part of Chromosome 21 to another chromosome.  Men or women who carry such unbalanced chromosomes have a high risk of producing offspring with Down Syndrome, but incest would not increase that risk, either.  

Answer 8

Only if the father is the father.

If you did your daddy in the past, but the baby is someone elses, you'll be fine.

Godspeed.

Answer 9

Not specifically, as Down's Syndrome is a genetic mutation in chromosome 21, however, it would increase the possibility of any inherited genetic disorders.

Answer 10

It's a very SMALL risk.