Prenatal diagnosis and selective abortion.

The Abortion and Sterilisation Act, 1975, has been in force for 1 year. Experience gained in the Johannesburg area in the operation of the Act with respect to termination of pregnancies for abnormalities of the unborn child, is outlined. Relatively few abortions have, in fact, been carried out for this reason, but the number is likely to increase. Prenatal diagnosis of disease in the fetus, although not possible in all cases, has greatly facilitated the management of families in which a child with a heritable disorder may be born.