Introduction

Over the past 25 years the new reproductive technologies (NRTs) such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and the new genetics together have aroused my concerns. This may seem odd to molecular biologists, geneticists, embryologists and obstetricians, whose specialisms differ one from the other and who for the most part work independently of each other; but a woman could not help noticing that the first applications of the new genetics impinged on pregnancy and birth – in prenatal screening and the offered abortion for fetuses found to be impaired. This represents a great change from the way in which pregnancy, birth and possible disability were previously understood. Consequent psychological problems for women were likely and seemed obvious. Yet what thought was given to the problems was commonsensical rather than systematic or scientific – and derived from men's, not women's, common sense.

To a sociologist it is axiomatic that a birth is a social as well as a biological event; the arrival of a new member of society changes the social arrangements around it.