Fetal and maternal indications for considering abortion.

Medical indications for abortion rest on estimating the risk of an abnormal outcome of pregnancy. Recent advances have greatly increased our ability to predict the outcome for both mother and child. Given the safety of amniocentesis and the many disorders now diagnosable prenatally, genetic counseling has evolved from a level of only making a statement of chance to that of knowing the karyotype and genotype of the fetus. Fetal indications for abortion include risk of abnormality from either genetic or environmental factors. Maternal indications include physical or mental disorders which may jeopardize the patient's health. The physician and the geneticist must recognize the pregnancy at risk and fully inform the couple early enough to permit investigation, diagnosis, and decision on termination.