A major new textbook on medical disorders and medical complications in pregnancy, which will provide and authoritative and practical guide to the management of these potentially life-threatening conditions. Written in a consistent, accessible style, the book will discuss each medical problem at all stages - from pre-pregnancy through the post-partum period - and will provide a stage-by-stage management plan for each condition. Arranged in chapters primarily by system (e.g. cardiovascular, renal etc.), each chapter will begin with a review of important background information on the physiology and pathology of the system as it relates to pregnancy and will then move on to consider individual medical problems, such as hypertension, cariomyopathies, etc. The book's scope will also include the management of the acutely ill patient, pre-pregnancy counselling, anaesthesia, effects on the neonate, and the long-term implications of medical complications.