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From The Critics
Reviewer:Ivan Damjanov, MD(University of Kansas Medical Center)Description:This is the fifth edition of the leading textbook of placental pathology, which was first published 40 years ago. It is also the only book that deals in detail with normal placenta. The authors have significantly updated the previous edition of 2000 and have expanded the book, which now contains both black-and-white and color photographs.
Purpose:The original text was prepared in 1967 as part of the famous German encyclopedia series edited by Henke and Lubarsch. As such, it was designed to be encyclopedic and include all that was known at that time about the pathology of placenta. Ever since, Dr. Benirschke, now joined by two coauthors, has continued updating the original, which has grown in size and breadth of coverage over the years. This edition is an excellent update and thus remains the most complete textbook of normal and abnormal placentology currently available on the market.
Audience:Aimed at pathologists and neonatologists, this book will be used by scientifically minded gynecologists and neonatologists and all other scientists interested in prenatal growth and development of the human fetus and fetal membranes. It is also a "must have" for all lawyers involved in malpractice cases relating to the prenatal and early postnatal period of life.
Features:This is a massive large format book, over 1,000 pages, printed on high quality paper. Approximately one-third of the book is devoted to normal human placentation, placental physiology, metabolism, and endocrinology. The remaining two-thirds deal with placental pathology. Almost all placental diseases are covered in great detail, including shape aberrations of the placenta, villous abnormalities, infectious diseases, etc. Special chapters are dedicated to maternal diseases complicating pregnancy, erythroblatosis fetalis, transplacental hemorrhages and cell transfer, and trauma. Abortions and related fetal abnormalities are also covered. A considerable number of pages are devoted to molar pregnancies and trophoblastic tumors. An informative chapter deals with multiple pregnancies. A short but important chapter covers legal considerations. The book is illustrated with 745 excellent black-and-white illustrations, including numerous outstanding electron microphotographs. Unfortunately, the 170 color photos are of uneven quality and are often inferior to the black-and-white illustrations. The references are current and well chosen.
Assessment:This is unquestionably the most encyclopedic book on normal and abnormal placentation. The latest edition is as good as the previous editions, on which it has built its strength and whose format it has retained. This update, coming six years after the previous edition, is fully justified. As such, this book has no competition and remains the most preeminent and most comprehensive book in this field.
Overview
The book contains black-and-white illustrations.