[Scientific and ethical perspectives of perinatal and fetal medicine]

This review emphasizes the importance of recent developments and knowledge on cell biology and human genetics than have integrated, through a basic-clinical concept to an emerging branch of medicine, called Perinatal and Fetal Medicine. We discuss the possible role of fetal cells and DNA in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the intrauterine environment The associated bioethical issues associated to these medical actions are discussed, considering the imminent use of these agents in the human species.