Author Description

The second edition of A guide to effective care in pregnancy and childbirth will be invaluable to anyone involved in the care of pregnant women, and to expectant parents. The book is about the effects of care given and received during pregnancy and childbirth. Fifteen years ago the authors began a systematic review of the evidence. They analysed more than 7000 of the best clinical research studies, and classified the elements of care as effective, promising, not proven either way, or not worth using. The result of this work was two major publications: Effective care in pregnancy and childbirth and a regularly updated electronic database of reviews.All the main findings and conclusions of these publications are available here in an easily readable, inexpensive, and updated form. The new edition is extensively revised and rewritten, incorporating the results of the important evidence about the effects of care during pregnancy and childbirth that has accumulated since the first edition was published. The first edition received critical acclaim because its conclusions were based on sound evidence and has become a unique reference source for evaluating care policies and practices.