Psychological implications of fetal diagnosis and therapy

Virtually nothing is known about the psychological implications of fetal diagnosis and therapy. This paper discusses some of the possible implications in light of the known psychological responses to fetal diagnosis by amniocentesis and genetic pregnancy termination. These are discussed against the background of the meaning of a pregnancy to the couple, the impact of the changes forced upon a couple by the discovery of a defect, and the likely approaches to decision making when the available options are presented.