I am 26 years old and my girlfriend is 22. We have been in love for many years. Since the beginning, both of our parents have been against our relationship. They have tried everything to split us but it has just made our love stronger. My girlfriend is pregnant and we are planning to get married.

When my parents heard this they were very upset and my father said that we are somehow related. This is the first I hear of this and I don't see how this can be true. If it is, then why didn't our parents tell us this before? They know how committed we are to each other. What are we meant to do now? Please advice.

This is a very distressing situation you and your girlfriend find yourselves in. I suggest you try and establish with your parents exactly how you are related.

For many years only the church could perform marriages and prohibited close relatives from marrying.

In 1961, the Marriages Act came into law and this allowed a person to marry a relative of a previous partner who is not an ancestor or descendant.

For example, it is legal for a woman to marry her dead husband's brother. People who may not marry include whole-blood relations (those descended from the same parents or pair of ancestors), half-blood relations (people related through one parent or ancestor and people who are related in the direct line through marriage or adoption, for example, mother-in-law and son-in-law or stepdaughter and stepfather. Once you have confirmed your relationship with your girlfriend, I suggest you both go to a doctor for him to check the baby and advise you further.