Congenital disability and medical research: the development of amniocentesis.

The action imperative inherent in amniocentesis, one that emphasizes the detection and selective abortion of disabled fetuses, exerts a powerful influence on women's decisions to undergo prenatal diagnosis. In this paper, the construction of this imperative is considered through an examination of medical research that contributed to the development and clinical practice of amniocentesis. It is argued that this research reflects medical judgments about socially "undesirable" human attributes, professional interests, and individual, technical solutions to the "burden" of congenital disability. The necessity to consider the implications of this technology within both a feminist and disability rights framework is discussed.