Fetal-Placental Disorders

Pathophysiology of Gestation, Volume II: Fetal-Placental Disorders covers important areas of reproduction such as maternal-fetal interrelationship, biochemistry and physiology of the fetoplacental unit, and use of amniotic fluid constituents as diagnostic tools for fetal well-being. This book is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 deals with the disorders of placental transfer, clearly illustrating the physical and biochemical processes involved in placental exchanges between mother and fetus. The second chapter is devoted to disorders of placental endocrine functions. The various methods used for studying placental hormone production and the errors in analysis and interpretation of the results are also elaborated. The pathophysiology of amniotic fluid disorders is discussed in Chapter 3, while the genetic factors affecting growth and development from the gamete stage through fertilization and organ formation are described in Chapter 4. The last chapter considers the teratologic impact of the environmental factors on fetal growth and development. This volume is valuable to medical students and individuals concerned with the disorders of the maternal-fetal interrelationship.