This new book will enable family practitioners, obstetricians and pediatricians to answer the concerns of the families in their care. It is the first book to make information on this important topic so easily accessible to clinicians. The book is firmly rooted in clinical practice and based on many years of experience, much of it involving the development and implementation of new techniques for examining the fetus in utero. The techniques now available are assessed and better ways to identify pregnancies which are eligible to their application are proposed. The authors describe both the sampling and laboratory techniques available. Other sections cover both predictable and unpredictable pregnancy risks from genetic diseases to abnormal ultrasound, including the possibilities for laboratory evaluation, and the risks and limitations. Throughout the book, the special status of the fetus as a patient is emphasized and the concerns and questions of families are considered, making this the first fully comprehensive and authoritative volume on fetal medicine.