Towards a Healthy Baby: Congenital Disorders and the New Genetics in Primary Care (Oxford Medical Publications)

Doctors, midwives, and health care workers spend considerable time discussing issues concerning reproduction with their patients. The importance of this aspect of care is growing as advances, for example in DNA technology and ultrasound scanning, increase the amount of information that can be given to prospective parents. Persons wishing to have children may seek advice because of concern about genetic disease. There may be a family history of genetic disorders, or a previous child may have been born with a congenital malformation. This work addresses the concerns of many prospective parents, such as interpretting the results of prenatal screening tests, an ultrasound examination or amniocentesis, and determining the risk to the fetus of infections, smoking, drinking, or taking medicines in early pregnancy. This comprehensive volume summarizes recent advances in the understanding of congenital and genetic disorders. It enables health workers in primary care to explain the relevant concepts and risks clearly to their patients.