In the Womb: Witness the Journey from Conception to Birth through Astonishing 3D Images (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Heidi Murkoff (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Imagine being able to observe with astonishing clarity a child's delicate features as they evolve over the course of a pregnancy, or witness the complex behavior of new human life in utero. Now we can, thanks to the advent of innovative 3D and 4D imaging technologies that provide a powerful diagnostic tool for doctors and cast vivid light on our earliest development—and a profound new way for parents to bond with their babies on a deeper emotional level.

Combining more than 140 images of life-like models based on the latest science, computer-generated illustrations, and 3D ultrasound images with an uplifting, informative text, In the Womb is a week-by-week chronicle of the mysterious, magical progress from embryo to fetus to full-term infant.

Each spread features a central image and information about that particular stage as well as brief commentary explaining what we know and how we know it. For example, at 24 weeks we watch a fetus open and close her eyes, display facial expressions resembling a grimace and a frown, and stick out her tongue (no one has yet established exactly why). And during the last trimester, we learn, she experiences REM sleep and can hear loud noises through the fluids of her mother's body—a first hint of the world that awaits outside the womb.

Based on National Geographic's acclaimed television program, originally aired in 2005 and soon to be supplemented with two more 2-hour segments, In the Womb is the perfect gift for expectant parents and a fascinating perspective for anyone captivated by the miracle of life.

About the Author

Peter Tallack studied medicine and genetics at University College London before working for nearly 10 years on the editorial staff of the international science journal Nature. He also writes book reviews for The Sunday Times and The Economist, among other publications, and is the editor of The Science Book (Cassell, 2001).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic; 1 edition (September 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 142620003X
• ISBN-13: 978-1426200038
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #168,545 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ulimate gift for expectant and new moms!, December 6, 2006

By	Stephanie Shields "Stephanie Shields" (Ithaca, NY) - See all my reviews

This is the book I dreamed of when I was pregnant! It doesn't tell you if you're going to get varicose veins or if its ok to take Tylenol, it tells you about your BABY. It has amazing, beautiful images of the baby at all stages based on the most cutting edge technologies and detailed but accessible information about fetal development. It makes a delightful gift for baby showers, because everyone wants to pass it around. After I gave a copy to my sister for her second pregnancy, she and my mother now make it a standard baby present. Its more exciting than *another* cute outfit or monitor!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The complete inside view of pregnancy, November 22, 2006

By	Marilyn - See all my reviews

Even if you haven't seen the TV program that this book is (loosely) based on, you should check out this book. The images are incredible. They remind me of the famous photographs by Lennart Nilsson....

What I liked about this book is that it walked you through all the stages of pregnancy, narrating the science as it unfolds with the developing embryo or fetus. There's a lot of information here. Most books about pregnancy focus on the mother, but this really tracks what's going on inside.

I've bought three additional books to give away as gifts to three friends who are pregnant. What could be a better gift than something that really helps you to understand the wondrous processes taking place within?

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Clay figures, May 14, 2007

By	M. Ryan "babydollryan" (Reno, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was so excited to get this book after reviewing a similar one that a friend had, however, I was very disappointed in it. The pictures are clay models that an artist has molded. There are no real ultrasounds or images. With our wonderful technology today, I was hoping for the real thing not an artist's rendition of what a fetus and blood cells look like. Although the artist is talented, I was very disappointed that no where in the description of this book did it reveal that the images were clay models.