Progress in biomedical science has called for an international discussion of the medical, ethical, and legal problems that confront physicians, medical researchers, infertile couples, pregnant women, and parents of premature or disabled infants. In addition, the unprecedented technological developments in obstetrical, perinatal, and neonatal medicine in recent years have indicated a need for an international forum for interdisciplinary dialogue regarding the definition of early human life, the neurological development of early human life, the value of early human life, the obligations for its protection and prolongation, and the limits to these obligations.

Progress in biomedical science has called for an international discussion of the medical, ethical, and legal problems that confront physicians, medical researchers, infertile couples, pregnant women, and parents of premature or disabled infants. In addition, the unprecedented technological developments in obstetrical, perinatal, and neonatal medicine in recent years have indicated a need for an international forum for interdisciplinary dialogue regarding the definition of early human life, the neurological development of early human life, the value of early human life, the obligations for its protection and prolongation, and the limits to these obligations.

This textbook has its ongm in a longstanding international profes sional and personal relationship of the authors. The success of the German edition was a result of the interest of the German authors, Dr. K. Knorr and Dr. C. Lauritzen, in synthesizing basic and clinical information in a textbook, the size and scope of which are appropriate to the modern undergraduate medical student. A unique feature of the volume was the addition of American gynecological thinking by Dr. F. K. Beller, who spent 12 years at New York University before returning to Germany. The English edition, which is aimed at the American medical student, has enlisted the services of Dr. R. M. Wynn, whose academic career has been in the United States, although he is thoroughly familiar with principles and practices of German gynecology. The English edition is not merely a translation of the German text. Rather, it incorporates most of the material, but with judiciOUS deletions, additions, and substitutions it brings the teaching into the mainstream of American medical education. We acknowledge with gratitude the expert editional assistance of Dr. Henriette Knorr-Gartner. Dr. R. Schuh mann and Mr. H. Brandt of Springer-Verlag were responsible for the histological sketches. The late Dr. H. Roemer prepared the section on psychosomatic disorders; Dr. F. W. Ahnefeld assisted in the section on shock; and Dr. H. Breinl helped to prepare the chapter on anatomy in the German edition."

Die stiirmische Entwicklung von der Pdinatalen Diagnose zur Pranatalen Medizin hat bisherige festgefligte Vorstellungen ins Wanken gebracht. Begriffe wie "Schwanger- schaftsabbruch" und "friihe Einleitung" beginnen sich zu iiberdecken. Wenn auch die Zahl der angeborenen Erkrankungen, die man pranatal behandeln kann, noch sehr klein ist, so beeindruckt doch die Moglichkeit, aus einigen wenigen Zellen schon im ersten Trimester schwierige Diagnosen stellen zu konnen. Noch ist es zu fruh zu entscheiden, ob wir an der Schwelle zum Umschlag von der Amniozentese zur Chorionbiopsie stehen. Immerhin zeigt auch diese Entwicklung, wie aufregend sich die Dinge entwickelt haben. Wenn man die Literatur, insbesondere die angloamerikanische verfolgt und Einblick in das dortige System hat, wird klar, daB sich hier mit der Pranatalen Medizin eine neue Subdisziplin neben der feto-maternalen Medizin herausschalt. Dieser stiirmischen Entwicklung ist im deutschen Sprachraum die Information nicht nachgekommen; das zeigt die vielen Besucher bei den diesbeziiglichen Fortbil- dungsveranstaltungen. Insofern war ein kompetentes Buch im deutschen Sprachraum iiberfa1lig. Herr Priv. -Doz. Dr. med. Wolfgang Holzgreve, M. S. (U. S. A. ), hat sich mit diesem Buch einen groBen Verdienst erworben. Kaumjemand erscheint so berufen zu sein, ein Buch iiber die "Pranatale Medizin" herauszugeben. Nach langjiihriger Tatigkeit bei Prof. Golbus in San Francisco hat Wolfgang Holzgreve die europaische Entwicklung durch seine Forschungsarbeit maBgeblich beeinfluBt.