Endometriosis causes a variety of symptoms from painful periods and backache to fertility problems. If you have painful periods and wonder if you might have endometriosis, or if you've already been diagnosed, you need the best possible information, help and support. This book aims to help you understand your symptoms, talk to your doctor without embarrassment, and it explains the tests and the treatment options. There's also sympathetic advice to help you cope with pain, deal with your own feelings about having endometriosis, and talk to your partner about how you feel. "Women with endometriosis need simple, clear information to enable them to decide for themselves which kind of treatment may be right for them. This book is written in a clear question and answer format and covers everything from explanations of symptoms to treatments and self-help. A book aimed directly at women, in a language they can understand." - National Endometriosis Society

This open access book looks at the dramatic history of ovariotomy, an operation to remove ovarian tumours first practiced in the early nineteenth century. Bold and daring, surgeons who performed it claimed to be initiating a new era of surgery by opening the abdomen. Ovariotomy soon occupied a complex position within medicine and society, as an operation which symbolised surgical progress, while also remaining at the boundaries of ethical acceptability. This book traces the operation's innovation, from its roots in eighteenth-century pathology, through the denouncement of those who performed it as 'belly-rippers', to its rapid uptake in the 1880s, when ovariotomists were accused of over-operating. Throughout the century, the operation was never a hair's breadth from controversy.

Improvements in the detection of fetal and neonatal brain injuries, advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology, cellular and molecular bases of encephalopathy, and new treatment options have all combined to produce significant changes in the management of neonatal brain disorders in the past few years. This new edition of Fetal and Neonatal Brain Injury brings the reader fully up to date with all advances in clinical management and outcome assessment. Updated material includes inflammation focusing in particular on chorioamnionitis and fetal brain injury; genetic brain injury; and expanded sections on cholestasis, diabetes, and thyroid disease. An updated, highly illustrated chapter on structural and functional imaging of the fetal and neonatal brain is also included. An outstanding international team of highly experienced neonatologists and maternal-fetal medicine clinicians have produced a practical, authoritative clinical text that gives clear management advice to all clinicians involved in the treatment of these patients.

This book systematically reviews and discusses recent studies and articles on the immunology of female genital tract tissue. The scope is broad, encompassing innate immune responses, adaptive (humoral and cell-mediated) immunity, the immunology of menstruation, the immunology of viral and bacterial infections, the immunology of normal and abnormal pregnancy, and immunological infertility. Throughout, tables and illustrations are judiciously used to facilitate understanding. Immunology of the Female Genital Tract will serve as an invaluable source of up-to-date information for all with an interest in this subject.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females that accounts for highest cancer specific deaths worldwide. In the last few decades research has proven that breast cancer can be treated if diagnosed at early stages and proper therapeutic strategy is adopted. Omics-based recent approaches have unveiled the molecular mechanism behind the breast tumorigenesis and aid in identification of next-generation molecular markers for early diagnosis, prognosis and even the effective targeted therapy. Significant development has taken place in the field of omics in breast cancer in the last decade. The most promising omics approaches and their outcomes in breast cancer have been presented in this book for the first time. The book covers omics technologies and budding fields such as breast cancer miRNA, lipidomics, epigenomics, proteomics, nutrigenomics, stem cell, pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine and many more along with conventional topics such as breast cancer management etc. It is a research-based reference book useful for clinician-scientists, researchers, geneticists and health care industries involved in various aspects of breast cancer. The book will also be useful for students of biomedicine, pathology and pharmacy.

This volume offers an up-to-date overview on the major areas of gynecological endocrinology, presenting the latest advances in adolescent gynecological endocrinology, assisted reproduction, menstrual-related disorders, sexuality and transsexualism, polycystic ovary syndrome, myometrial pathology and adenomyosis, obesity and metabolic syndrome, hormonal contraception, premature ovarian failure and menopause. In each chapter the recent advances deriving from basic science and clinical investigations are related to the practical management of the condition under consideration, taking into account the need for individualized therapies. The book is published within the ISGE Book Series, a joint venture between the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology and Springer and is based on the 2014 International School of Gynecological and Reproductive Endocrinology Winter Course. It will be an important tool for obstetricians and gynecologists, endocrinologists and experts in women's health as well as interested GPs.

This book offers a critical review of the pelvic sciences-past, present and future-from an anatomical and physiological perspective and is intended for researchers, medical practitioners and paramedical therapists in the fields of urology, gynecology and obstetrics, proctology, physiotherapy, as well as for patients. The book starts with a "construction plan" of the pelvis and shows its structural consequences. The historical background of pelvic studies proceeds from medieval and early Italian models to the definitive understanding of the pelvic anatomy in the Seventeenth century. During these eras of pelvic research, concepts and approaches developed that are illustrated with examples from comparative anatomy and from mutations, also with regard to the biomechanics of pelvic structures. Perceptions of the pelvis as an important element in sexual arousal and mating conduct are discussed, as well as attitudes to circumcision, castration and other mutilations, in its anthropological, social context. The anatomy and physiology of the pelvic wall and its organs as well as the development of these pelvic organs are covered as a prerequisite to understanding, for example, the spread of pelvic carcinoma and male and female bladder muscle function. Connective pelvic tissue is examined in its reinforcing capacity for pelvic structures, but also as a "hiding place" for infections. Innervations and reflexes relayed through the pelvic nerves are discussed in order to explain incontinence, sphincter function and the control of smooth and striated muscles in the pelvis. Catheters and drugs acting on pelvic function are described, and a critical review of alternative clinical methods for treating pelvic dysfunctions is provided.

During recent decades, more than 100 surgical procedures have been proposed to treat pelvic organ prolapse, and surgeons are still searching for the ideal approach. Although generally accepted guidelines and algorithms are still lacking, careful preoperative work-up and patient selection can serve as a sound basis for tailored surgery. In this comprehensive book, leading experts from around the world provide a detailed, up-to-date overview of the diagnostic and surgical approaches employed in patients with prolapse of the middle or posterior pelvic floor compartment. Each surgical technique is explained step by step with the aid of instructive figures. Guidance is also included on the management of surgical complications and of recurrent disease – aspects that are too frequently overlooked in the scientific literature. This book will prove essential reading for all who are interested in functional colorectal disorders of the pelvic floor and will represent a unique and invaluable source of knowledge for general surgeons, colorectal surgeons, and urogynecologists, whether in training or practice.   ​  

The purpose of the The Active Female: Health Issues Throughout the Lifespan, 2nd Edition is twofold: (1) to increase the awareness of wellness and fitness issues for active females and their family members; and (2) to provide an avenue for medical practitioners, allied health professionals, health educators, and certified individuals in sports medicine to gain critical, updated knowledge of a field specific to active females. Part I of the book offers a foundation to help the reader understand the interrelationship among body image concerns, the female reproductive cycle, and musculoskeletal anatomy/physiology of females that makes their health risks and concerns unique. Reproductive health is discussed by a prominent researcher in reproduction/endocrinology. An overview of the Female Athlete Triad which is a syndrome of three interrelated conditions (isordered eating, menstrual disturbances and bone loss) is presented in Part II. Physicians and certified professionals in sports medicine discuss the individual components of the triad, relating not only to the athletic female but also to the recreationally active woman throughout the lifespan. In Part III, Prevention and management of common musculoskeletal injuries is addressed by a female orthopedic surgeon who sub-specializes in treating female athletes. Finally, appropriate exercise and nutritional guidelines for active females are discussed in Parts IV-V of the book by certified professionals and licensed physicians in sports medicine. An invaluable addition to the literature, The Active Female: Health Issues Throughout the Lifespan, 2nd Edition will be of great interest to physicians, allied health care practitioners, medical/other wellness educators, and students who are interested in advancing women's health issues. Sports medicine specialists, family practitioners, gynecologists, team physicians, residents in sports medicine, athletic trainers, health educators, nurses, physicians assistants, physical therapists, sport psychologists, counselors, athletic trainers, and other members of the sports medicine team should also find this title of significant interest.

This is a novel text that highlights the controversial areas in the management of gynecological cancers. None of the topics in this book have definitive answers; they represent the everyday decision-making facing gynecologists, oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and other health professionals treating women with these conditions. This book is not to be used as a traditional textbook; it is a text that specialists and trainees will use to help them weigh up the arguments that exist in a variety of areas in the treatment of gynecological cancers. Each chapter will have two or more authors, selected either for their opposing views or for their ability to provide an opposite view or opinion to the other. The content will be evidence-based, illustrating contrasting evidence and scientific opinion in the literature. Each chapter will close on a summary indicating the direction of research needed to address the issues being discussed.

This book, part of the series Rare Diseases of the Immune System, offers comprehensive, up-to-date coverage of the pathophysiology and management of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Immunologic and genetic aspects are discussed and the pathogenic mechanisms responsible for such phenomena as APS-mediated thrombosis and pregnancy loss/complications are explained. The main clinical manifestations, classification criteria and diagnostic tools are identified, and close attention is paid to the nature of the involvement of various organs or organ systems in APS. Specific chapters describe the treatment of the different symptoms, therapies of value in avoiding recurrences, and innovative treatment approaches. The authors are senior experts in the field who are aided by younger fellows, ensuring that the book is also educationally oriented. This handy volume will be a valuable tool for postgraduates in training and professionals wishing to extend their knowledge of this specific syndrome.

Ovarian Cancer: Advances in Diagnosis and Management presents unique international perspectives on this devastating disease. While ovarian cancer has mainly been considered a disease of the Western hemisphere, this book moves beyond our conventional understanding and embraces knowledge from around the world. The focus is on recent advances in diagnosis, including genetic screening, and improvements and expanded choices in management, such as the optimization of chemotherapeutic agents, gene therapy, and the latest laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques. Further chapters address psychosocial and quality-of-life issues. This book is an excellent resource on the international state-of-the-art in the diagnosis and management of ovarian cancer and is aimed at oncologists, gynecologists, and fellows.

Representing the most relevant procedures and technologies aiding the advance of the field of HPV-mediated carcinogenesis of the cervix and other anatomical regions of squamocolumnar transition, such as the anorectum, penis, and oropharynx, Cervical Cancer: Methods and Protocols compiles a detailed collection of practical chapters. The first half of the book covers HPV types, pathogenesis of cervical cancer (CxCA), prevention, and novel potential drug targets, while the second half explores pathology, genomics, modeling of CxCA, and experimental therapeutic strategies. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and vital, Cervical Cancer: Methods and Protocols serves as a valuable resource to both bench scientists and clinicians who step into the realm of high-risk HPVs and CxCA for the first time or those who wish to learn novel approaches or expand their toolbox for the study of CxCA.

Advances in technology now offer promising solutions to deal with the chronological aging of the cell, tissue or organ to synchronize its existence and its use. This book covers the developments in and benefits of the latest vitrification technology and its extensive applications in reproductive medicine. Protocols of gametes (oocyte and sperm), embryos, blastocysts and ovarian tissue cryopreservation have been reviewed by leaders in the field. In order to address the escalation in cross-border reproductive tourism entailing the transfer of reproductive cells and tissues rather than the patient, the challenges, caution and emerging possibilities of nitrogen vapor shipment of vitrified cells have been discussed. Current perspectives on oocyte banking present the reader with options and solutions to effectively utilize these gametes despite the physiological deterrents.The versatile applications and potential of vitrification of human embryonic stem cells, discussed in the concluding chapter, is an exciting reality offered by vitrification to help overcome numerous stumbling blocks in the management of various disorders.

This volume represents an up-to-date overview on the major areas of gynecological endocrinology, providing the reader with a complete explanation of female endocrine regulation and metabolism and relevant disorders and treatment. It is published within the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology (ISGE) Series and is based on the 2013 International School of Gynecological and Reproductive Endocrinology Summer Course. The book covers a very wide range of topics – from primary amenorrhea to menopause, from the impact of ovarian surgery on fertility to fertility cryopreservation, from metabolic syndrome and polycystic ovary to premature ovarian failure and from the clinical impact of selective progesterone receptor modulators to the use of progesterone in prevention of premature labor. It will be an important tool for obstetricians and gynecologists, endocrinologists and experts in women’s health as well as interested GPs.

This concise handbook provides oncologists and other healthcare providers with crucial updates in the field, including an updated review of the current understanding of the biology of the HER2 pathway, an overview of HER2-testing, and evidence-based discussions of available and emerging HER2-targeted treatment options. An essential clinical text for physicians that screen and treat patients with breast cancer and require an accessible, up-to-date survey of the dynamic treatment landscape.

The Lamaze method is virtually synonymous with natural childbirth in America. In the 1970s, taking Lamaze classes was a common rite of passage to parenthood. The conscious relaxation and patterned breathing techniques touted as a natural and empowering path to the alleviation of pain in childbirth resonated with the feminist and countercultural values of the era. In Lamaze, historian Paula A. Michaels tells the surprising story of the Lamaze method from its origins in the Soviet Union in the 1940s, to its popularization in France in the 1950s, and then to its heyday in the 1960s and 1970s in the US. Michaels shows how, for different reasons, in disparate national contexts, this technique for managing the pain of childbirth without resort to drugs found a following. The Soviet government embraced this method as a panacea to childbirth pain in the face of the material shortages that followed World War II. Heated and sometimes ideologically inflected debates surrounded the Lamaze method as it moved from East to West amid the Cold War. Physicians in France sympathetic to the communist cause helped to export it across the Iron Curtain, but politics alone fails to explain why French women embraced this approach. Arriving on American shores around 1960, the Lamaze method took on new meanings. Initially it offered a path to a safer and more satisfying birth experience, but overtly political considerations came to the fore once again as feminists appropriated it as a way to resist the patriarchal authority of male obstetricians. Drawing on a wealth of archival evidence, Michaels pieces together this complex and fascinating story at the crossroads of the history of politics, medicine, and women. The story of Lamaze illuminates the many contentious issues that swirl around birthing practices in America and Europe. Brimming with insight, Michaels' engaging history offers an instructive intervention in the debate about how to achieve humane, empowering, and safe maternity care for all women.

For over thirty years, the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties has guided students and junior doctors through their clinical placements, renowned for providing all the information needed for both practice and revision in a deceptively small package. Now in its eleventh edition, the Handbook has been revitalized by an expanded team of specialty experts and junior doctors to guide readers through each of the specialties encountered through medical school and Foundation Programme rotations, while remaining true to the humanity and patient focus of the original edition. Updated with the latest advice and clinical guidelines, packed full of high-quality illustrations, boxes, tables, and classifications, and with a brand new chapter on how to survive your junior doctor years and beyond, this handbook is ideal for both study and use at direct point of care. Each chapter is clear and concise and filled with medical gems, with features including ribbons to mark your most-used pages and mnemonics to help you memorize and retain key facts. With reassuring and friendly advice throughout, this is the ultimate guide and revision tool for every medical student and junior doctor for each clinical specialty placement. This well-loved Handbook remains the perfect companion to the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine, together encompassing the entire spectrum of clinical medicine and unmatched by any competitor in their class, helping you become the doctor you want to be.

The first complete reference dedicated to the full spectrum of women's imaging topics "Women s imaging" refers to the use of imaging modalities (X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI) available for aiding in the diagnosis and care of such female-centric diseases as cancer of the breast, uterus, and ovaries. Currently, there is no single reference source that provides adequate discussions of MRI and its important role in the diagnosis of patients with women's health issues. Thoroughly illustrated with the highest-quality radiographic images available, Women s Imaging: MRI with Multimodality Correlation provides a concise overview of the topic and emphasizes practical image interpretation. It makes clear use of tables and diagrams, and offers careful examination of differential diagnosis with special notes on key learning points. Placing great emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), while providing correlations to other important imaging modalities, the comprehensive book features the latest guidelines on imaging screening and includes in-depth chapter coverage of: * Pelvis MRI: Introduction and Technique * Imaging the Vagina and Urethra * Pelvic Floor Imaging * Imaging the Uterus * Imaging the Adnexa * Imaging Maternal Conditions in Pregnancy * Fetal Imaging * Breast MRI: Introduction and Technique * ACR Breast MRI Lexicon and Interpretation * Preoperative Breast Cancer Evaluation and Advanced Breast Cancer Imaging * Postsurgical Breast and Implant Imaging * MR-Guided Breast Interventions Providing up-to-date information on many of the health issues that affect women across the globe, Women's Imaging will appeal to all general radiologists especially those specializing in body imaging, breast imaging, and women s imaging as well as gynaecologists and obstetricians, breast surgeons, oncologists, radiation oncologists, and MRI technologists.

This acclaimed text continues to focus on the essential techniques for effective surgical management of patients with ovarian cancer and related peritoneal surface malignancies. With a wealth of accompanying illustrations and operative videos; this fourth edition reflects the evolution - and controversies - in the use of minimally invasive and robotic surgery and the introduction of HIPEC treatment options.

Over the last hundred years, pregnancy and childbirth has become increasingly safe - yet it is still a site of risk, and a contested ground on which health professionals and pregnant women both face high costs of error. In this context, all those involved in managing pregnancy and birth are expected to identify and mitigate risk: pregnant women are subject to increasing surveillance to ensure the safety of the unborn foetus, and every aspect of childbearing is increasingly medicalised. This publication brings together fascinating social science research to explore the ways in which risk is both created and managed in pregnancy and childbirth. The introductory chapters reflect on the changing social context of childbirth, in particular the medicalisation of both pregnancy and childbirth with development of specialist practitioners, such as obstetricians and midwives who claim to have the knowledge, technology and skills to identify and manage the risks involved. The next three chapters that examine the ways in which women's behaviour during pregnancy is constructed as potentially risky -- for example smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs, and how these risks are monitored and mitigated. The final two parts of the book address the construction of and responses to both medicalisation and risk in childbirth. Altogether, it represents a valuable insight into the complex world of pregnancy, childbirth and risk. This book brings together editorials and articles originally published in special and open issues of Health, Risk and Society.

Constipation: A Practical Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment serves as an unmet resource for physicians and other health care providers, including trainees and students, who see patients with constipation. The text reviews pathophysiologic mechanisms and details evaluation and management strategies. The volume also enables the reader to identify epidemiologic factors and quality of life parameters for patients with constipation, discuss differences in pathophysiologic mechanisms for different etiologies of constipation, recognize primary causes of constipation, and assess special considerations related to the symptom of constipation including presentations in the elderly, in pregnant women, in patients with systemic diseases, and patients with a history of abuse. Written by thought leaders and recognized experts in gastrointestinal motility and medical education, Constipation: A Practical Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment is of great value and utility for gastroenterologists, primary care physicians, gynecologists, nurse practitioners, physician's assistants, as well as fellows and residents.

Offers an expert blend of sound theory and evidence based therapy for residents and practitioners. Provides a clear path through the increasing complexity of ART options and techniques, using clinical experience and common practical sense. Condenses the aspects of knowledge and practice most relevant for learning the practical basics of diagnosis and decision making.

Written and edited by leading, internationally recognized clinicians and scientists in reproductive medicine and related fields, this unique text is a practical and comprehensive review of the clinical and scientific significance of unexplained male and female infertility and its management. The book is divided into thematic sections to ensure the most useful presentation of topics, opening with definitions and epidemiology of unexplained infertility, including discussion of the WHO's cutoff values for human semen characteristics and its ramifications. Sections covering male and female reproductive pathophysiology follow respectively, covering biological, genetic and environmental causative factors, with a subsequent section on evaluative techniques for male and female patients. Expectant, medical and surgical treatment strategies comprise the fifth section of the book, where active interventions and outcomes of each treatment modality are carefully considered. The final section discusses assisted reproductive techniques to manage unexplained infertility, such as intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization, as well as future perspectives. Thoughtful and enlightening, Unexplained Infertility: Pathophysiology, Evaluation and Treatment will be an invaluable resource for all clinicians and scientists working in the fields of reproductive medicine and infertility.

Now in its sixth edition, Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology remains the only book to comprehensively cover infectious diseases in both obstetrics and general gynecology. Distilling complex clinical problems into an easy to use format, this text is divided in four unique sections, and some of these topics include: