This second edition offers an expanded and updated history of the field
of fetal and neonatal development, allowing readers to gain a
comprehensive understanding of the biological aspects that contribute to
the wellbeing or pathophysiology of newborns.
In this concluding opus of a long and prominent career as a clinical
scientist, Dr. Longo has invited new contributions from noted colleagues
with expertise in various fields to provide a historical perspective on
the impact of how modern concepts emerged in the field of fetal
physiology and contributed to the current attention paid to the fetal
origins of diseases in adults. In addition to new chapters on maternal
physiology and complications during pregnancy, others trace the history
of the Society for Reproductive Investigation, governmental funding of
perinatal research, and major initiatives to support training in the new
discipline of maternal fetal medicine, including the Reproductive
Scientist Development program.
The extensive survey provided by the author, who personally knew most of
the pioneers in the field, offers a unique guide for all clinical and
basic scientists interested in the history of - and future approaches to
diagnosing and treating - pathologies that represent the leading causes
of neonatal mortality and, far too often, life-long morbidity.