The Tentative Pregnancy - How Amniocentesis Changes the Experience of Motherhood (Paperback, 1993)

As more and more women are having children when they are over thirty, amniocentesis is becoming a routine part of prenatal care. In this groundbreaking book, Barbara Katz Rothman shows how this simple procedure can radically alter the way we think about childbirth and parenthood, forcing us to confront agonizing dilemnas: What do you do if there is a "problem" with the fetus? What kind of support is available if you decide to raise a handicapped child? How can you come to terms with the termination of an wanted pregnancy? Drawing on the experience of over 120 women and a wealth of expert testimony, Rothman's important book is a must for anyone thinking of having a child.

For this edition, Rothman has written a new introduction on the most recent technological advances and the personal and social issues they raise. She has also included two new appendixes: "Using Earlier Tests" on early amniocentesis and chonionic villus sampling and "Maternal Serum Alpha Protein Testing."

"What a wonderful mix of scholarship and feeling! With insight and symphathy, Barbara Katz Rothman shows us how the new techniques for diagnosing fetal health problems confront pregnant women with new burdens and responsibilities. Anyone who thinks that prenatal diagnosis is liberating for women needs to read this book." —Ruth Hubbard, Harvard University