The Embryo: Scientific Discovery and Medical Ethics

Sophisticated imaging devices and new biological technologies have greatly enhanced our ability to detect an ever increasing number of fetal malformations during pregnancy. Elucidation of the human genetic code and exact molecular definition of various diseases, together with enhanced capabilities for repairing genetic defects have opened possibilities for diagnosis and treatment which, less than a decade ago, could only have been dreamed of. However, many clinical topics related to the embryo a