AFP
Beginning in the early 1980s, pregnant women were offered Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) screening to detect neural tube defects such as spina bifida (open spine) as well as Down syndrome.

All Those Prenatal Tests
There is nothing in the world that can match the feeling of finding out you are pregnant when you have been hoping and praying for a baby.

Am I Pregnant or Not?
Mary Krenn* of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was still nursing her 6-month-old daughter, and her periods hadn't returned.

Am I Pregnant?
Some women know from the moment of conception. Others know from some secret signal they or their husbands sense or become aware of.

Am I?
Women may have all of these, none of these, or any combination of these symptoms. Non-pregnant women may have these symptoms.

Amniocentesis
There are several reasons why an expectant mother would choose to have an amniocentesis, which is a test that examines fetal cells present in amniotic fluid with the purpose of detecting chromosomal disorders.

Analyzing Amniocentesis
Miriam Schneider had amniocentesis (amnio), a test for birth defects and other conditions, after successful infertility treatments. Schneider, from Manhattan, N.

Can Preterm Labor Be Predicted?
Having multiples is twice the fun, twice the work and, unfortunately, twice the worry. One of the most common concerns with multiples is going into premature labor.

Dabbling with Dopplers
Lindi Clay used a Doppler from about 10 weeks into her pregnancy until delivery. "I had a prior miscarriage, and for my own peace of mind I wanted to hear the baby's heartbeat as much as possible," says Clay, who is from St Louis, Mo.

Episiotomy
When Missy Goodson, 34, of Louisville, Ky., had her first child in 1988, there was simply no discussion about whether she would have an episiotomy.