Organization of Material: Langman’s Medical Embryology is organized into two parts. llqe first provides an overview of early development from gametogenesis through the embryonic period. Also included in this section are chapters on placental and fetal development as well as prenatal diagnosis and birth defects. llqe second part of the text provides a description of the fundamental processes of embryogenesis for each organ system.
Clinical Correlates: In addition to describing normal events, each chapter contains clinical correlates that appear in highlighted boxes. This material is designed to demonstrate the clinical relevance of embryology and the importance of understanding key developmental events as a first step to improving birth outcomes and having healthier babies. Clinical pictures and case descriptions are used to provide this information, and this material has been increased and updated in this edition.
Every student will be affected by pregnancy, either their mother’s, because what happens in the womb does not necessarily stay in the womb, or by someone else’s. As health care professionals, you will often encounter women of childbearing age who may be pregnant, or you may have children of your own, or maybe it is a friend who is pregnant. In any case, pregnancy and childbirth are relevant to all of us, and unfortunately, these processes often culminate in negative outcomes. For example, 50% of all embryos are spontaneously aborted. Furthermore, prematurity and birth defects are the leading causes of infant mortality and major contributors to disabilities.
