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Book reviews

http://onlinetog.org

Differential Diagnosis in
Obstetrics and Gynaecology:
an AZ
Editor Tony Hollingworth
This 373-page book covers a broad range of topics in
both obstetrics and gynaecology. The chapters are in
alphabetical order and include both common and
unusual conditions such as headache, pubic pain
and urinary retention in pregnancy, postoperative
keloids and hypertrophic scars. The contributing
authors are well known experts in their respective
fields and come from several countries, including
Australia, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the
UK. The text is easy to understand and provides
helpful boxes of summarised information for quick
reference. The high quality of the diagrams and
illustrations deserves special mention. There is an
appendix at the end, which contains common
definitions and lists tumour staging.
The book takes the reader beyond the realms of
general obstetrics and gynaecology and allows a
wider understanding of various subjects, such as
chest pain, haematemesis in pregnancy and
differential diagnoses of abdominal pain. This is a
refreshing change from the standard textbooks of
obstetrics and gynaecology. It takes the reader back
to the days of medical school and early clinical years
when a patient was considered an individual and

(page 2 of 12)

The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

not compartmentalised, with an expert to deal with

each compartment.
My only criticism of the book is the alphabetical
order of topics. This may be useful for ready
reference, but the reader has to keep mentally
jumping chapters from obstetrics to gynaecology or
the reverse, which can sometimes obstruct the flow
of reading.
Nevertheless, this publication is a very valuable
addition to the medical bookshelf. It will be useful
to every grade of healthcare professional, including
general practitioners, junior doctors and senior
medical staff. It can be used as a reference book, a
quick revision guide before exams or simply to
boost the readers existing knowledge, which can
then be shown off in multidisciplinary meetings.
The text is well referenced and lists helpful
resources and websites for further reading and
information. I would certainly recommend it to
anyone with a specialised interest in obstetrics and
gynaecology.
Reviewer Kalpana Upadhyay MRCOG
Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Wrexham, UK
Hodder Arnold, 2008
ISBN 9780340928257
Paperback, 373 pages, 34.99
10.1576/toag.11.4.294.27537

2009 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists