The Antenatal Testing Book

There are over 700,000 babies born in Britain each year. About 95% of their mothers will have had some form of testing during their pregnancy. This book provides information for making informed decisions about antenatal testing, by providing mothers with information on each test. As more and more tests become available it becomes increasingly important to know the facts - what is available, what the tests are for and what the risks of handicap are. Each test is explained in detail, from the routine ones such as ultrasound to the more specialized ones such as AFP sampling. An index of genetic diseases is included listing the most common conditions that can result in handicap, together with their causes where known and whether they can be detected, by what method and at what stage of pregnancy.