Fetal and perinatal medicine
Soothill, P.
British Journal of Hospital Medicine 56(4): 141-144
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0007-1064 PMID: 8872340 Document Number: 465676
Fetal medicine, like this journal, is about 30 years old. In the 1960s access to the fetus was only possible around the time of birth, leading to the concept of 'perinatal medicine'. However, as ultrasonography, invasive procedures and genetics provided the necessary tools, it became clear that events in the preceding months are usually much more important than those around birth. The term perinatal medicine has therefore been replaced by fetal medicine.