The book focuses on the role of both biological and behavioural factors in the fertility, and specific patterns of health and disease, of minority populations living in developed and less developed countries. The importance of marriages contracted between close relatives is stressed, as over 900 million people inhabit countries where 20 to 50 per cent of marriages are inbred. Past, present and future trends in population mixing are evaluated, with special consideration of their effects on the health of minorities.

This book explores the emerging speciality of fetal medicine. The new technology for examining DNA is described as a background to later chapters concerned with gene therapy and the examination of the conceptus. An account of laboratory techniques for studying the mouse embryo is illustrated by outstanding photographs of scanning electron microscopy. This book will be of interest to all those who are involved with the care of the pregnant woman and her fetus whether in medicine or in the law.

This collection of papers is in honour of Julian Huxley, President from 1959 until 1962 of the Eugenics Society, which exists to support research into genetic and social factors of human reproduction with a view to improving problems associated with heredity, human qualities and population.