Author Description

Medical professionals are often involved in the management of the pregnant patient without necessarily being experts on all the complications surrounding pregnancy. The Handbook of Obstetric Medicine addresses the most common and serious medical conditions encountered in pregnancy, including heart disease, thromboembolism, diabetes, skin problems, gastrointestinal disease, neurological problems, hormonal diseases, hypertension and pre-eclampsia, and more. For each condition, the handbook includes a description of incidence, clinical features, pathogenesis, diagnosis, the effect of pregnancy, and management of the condition. The book also includes a detailed section focusing on the differential diagnosis of common symptoms including hypertension, chest pain, palpitations, breathlessness, headaches, dizziness, abdominal pain, and more. The symptoms and differential diagnoses are presented in an easy-to-read tabular format and include a description of important clinical features and potential areas of investigation. For those clinicians understandably reluctant to prescribe drugs during pregnancy, a useful appendix includes a section on prescribing in pregnancy and a list of contra-indicated drugs. In addition, to assist in the interpretation of laboratory tests, a second appendix lists normal laboratory values in pregnancy, broken down by trimester. Pre -pregnancy counselling and postnatal follow up are vital in the holistic management of women with medical problems and this includes appropriate contraceptive advice. A third appendix has therefore been added as a ready reference for clinicians not familiar with effective contraception. The new edition remains a pragmatic and easy-to-use design by including tables, bullets, and "Points to remember" boxes for ease of reference. It is an essential on-the-spot guide for obstetricians, physicians, general practitioners, and midwives in both practice and training. Catherine Nelson-Piercy, MA, FR