Birth Defects was written for healthcare workers who look after individuals with birth defects, their families, and women who are at increased risk of giving birth to an infant with a birth defect.

Special attention is given to:
* modes of inheritance
* medical genetic counselling
* birth defects due to chromosomal abnormalities
* single gene defects
* teratogens
* multifactorial inheritance

This book is being used in the Genetics Education Programme which trains healthcare workers in genetic counselling in South Africa.