Publisher's Synopsis
In recent years there has been an increased awareness of maternal conditions, disorders and diseases that transfer to the fetus via the placenta. These disorders present society with the subsequent legal dilemma of protecting the fetus from the lifestyle of the adults without interfering with the parent's legal rights.;This volume reports on current perinatal research and clinical investigations of the biomedical basis of placenta-mediated disorders and their prevention. The book describes the epidemiology and diagnosis of these disorders and the care of affected mothers and children. It examines cases of the transfer of maternal antibodies, infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis,;Streptococcus), addictive drugs and other teratogens which adversely affect the fetus and the neonate. The volume also covers important ethical issues dealing with the legal status of women.
