Scientific Basis of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Collating the scientific basis for a broad clinical specialty could easily result in a tome of encyclopedic proportions. This book is a gem. Dr. Macdonald has selected topics of current interest and with 20 contributors has edited a volume that is coherent and readable and contains a great deal of information distilled into terms easily assimilated by the clinician.

The physiologic and pharmacologic basis of several areas of human reproduction are reviewed and newer aspects are presented. There are chapters devoted to the uterus, placenta, and the fetus in pregnancy, and an excellent chapter on the current status of prostaglandins. Genetics, immunology, teratology, gynecologic cancer, and human sexual behavior also receive attention. Each chapter begins with an outline of the material to be discussed and ends with a section titled "Conclusions." The material is well organized and well presented. The references are many and current. All of the contributors are