Perinatal medicine addresses various contemporary topics related to fetal diagnosis and management, alongside preconception counseling. The aim of preconception counseling and healthcare evaluation is to improve a couple’s preparedness for parenthood. This approach seeks to minimize potential adverse factors by performing comprehensive diagnostic assessments and offering timely interventions and therapies. This topic is discussed in detail.

The section on Intrauterine Growth Retardation (IUGR) explores the causes and management of suspected or confirmed fetal abnormalities, placental insufficiency, and issues related to fetal growth.

In the past, access to and safety of prenatal diagnostic procedures were limited; however, this has significantly changed with the advent of real-time ultrasonography. This technology provides increasingly clearer visualization of the intrauterine environment, greatly enhancing the possibilities for fetal diagnosis and treatment. The chapter on invasive ultrasound procedures offers an in-depth examination of the currently available ultrasound-guided techniques for fetal diagnosis and therapy, including amniocentesis, cordocentesis, and chorionic villus sampling, which are utilized to detect neural tube defects, evaluate fetal lung maturity, and identify chromosomal abnormalities.

The controversies surrounding the evaluation of fetal anomalies through ultrasound are thoroughly addressed, which we believe will be of particular interest to readers. There are diverse opinions regarding the interpretation of findings and the counseling provided to couples based on these results. This section highlights the implications of missed fetal anomalies and their impact on pregnancy outcomes.