Human embryos and foetuses are highly public and contested figures. Their visual images appear across a wide range of forums. They have become commercial commodities as part of the IVF industry and are the focus of intense debates regarding concepts of personhood. This book discusses these issues, drawing on social and cultural theory and research.

Deborah Lupton is Senior Principal Research Fellow in the Department of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Sydney, Australia. Her most recent publications include Medicine as Culture, Fat and Risk.