The Tentative Pregnancy

prenatal diagnosis and the future of motherhood

Plot

As more and more women over 30 are having children, amniocentesis, primarily used as a test for Down's syndrome, is becoming a routine part of prenatal care. In this book, Barbara Katz Rothman shows how this simple procedure can alter the way we think about childbirth and parenthood and force us to confront agonizing dilemmas: what do you do if there is a "problem" with the foetus? What kind of support is available if you decide to bring up a handicapped child? How can you come to terms with the decision to terminate a wanted pregnancy?