In few areas of medicine is progress more spectacular than in the field of prenatal diagnosis. Clini­ cians will need a high degree of skill to inform healthy women about the options for screening normal pregnancies, and to counsel high-risk women about the benefits and limitations of prenatal diagnosis.

Section I — Epidemiology and Routine Screening.- 1 Trends in Prevalence of Congenital Abnormalities.- 2 The Northern Regional Fetal Abnormality Survey.- Discussion.- 3 Routine Fetal Anomaly Screening.- 4 Some Practical Issues in the Antenatal Detection of Neural Tube Defects and Down’s Syndrome.- Discussion.- 5 Heterozygote Screening for Cystic Fibrosis.- Discussion.- Section II — Special Techniques: 1.- 6 Chorion Villus Sampling: The MRC European Trial.- 7 Invasive Diagnostic Procedures in the First Trimester.- Discussion.- 8 Cardiac Ultrasound Scanning.- 9 Doppler Ultrasound Studies and Fetal Abnormality.- Discussion.- Section III — DNA Analysis.- 10 Overview of Linkage and Probes.- Discussion.- 11 Diagnosis of Genetic Defects in Eggs and Embryos.- Discussion.- Section IV — Cytogenetic and Biochemical Disorders.- 12 Fetal Karyotyping Using Chorionic Villus Samples.- 13 Prenatal Diagnosis of the Fragile-X Syndrome.- Discussion.- 14 Advances in Diagnosis of Biochemical Disorders.- Discussion.- Section V — Special Techniques: 2.- 15 Cordocentesis.- 16 Intrauterine Therapy.- 17 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanning.- Discussion.- Section VI — Counselling, Economics and Ethical Issues.- 18 Psychological Implications of Prenatal Diagnosis.- 19 Counselling after Prenatal Diagnosis.- Discussion.- 20 Economic Aspects of Prenatal Diagnosis.- 21 Ethical Aspects of Prenatal Diagnosis.- Discussion.- Section VII — Service Provision.- 22 Organisation of Genetic Services in the Netherlands.- 23 Genetic Services.- 24 National Coordination of Molecular Genetic Services.- Discussion.- 25 Provision of Service: The Obstetrician’s View.- Discussion.- Conclusions and Recommendations.