Reviews (1)

Excellent Information
This book gives a consice guide to assisted reproductive procedures with easy to read details. It helped me greatly as I enter my first IVF cycle. Now I know what to expect and won't be suprised. If you are seeing a fertility specialist, this would be a great book to read so you know what your doctor is talking about and what questions to ask! ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a framework for thinking clearly and coherently about the unborn.The book's thesis, the "interest view," states that all and only beings who have interests have moral standing, and only beings who possess conscious awareness have interests.The chapters apply the interest view, and explore the moral and legal aspects of a wide range of issues. ... Read more

Book Description

Is Menstruation Obsolete? argues that regular monthly bleeding is not the "natural" state of women, and that it actually places them at risk of several medical conditions of varying severity. The authors maintain that while menstruation may be culturally significant, it is not medically meaningful. Moreover, they propose that suppressing menstruation has remarkable health advantages.

Because of cultural changes, shorter durations of breast feeding, and birth control, the reproductive patterns of modern women no longer resemble that of their Stone age ancestors.Women have moved from the age of incessant reproduction to the age of incessant menstruation. Consequently, they often suffer from clinical disorders related to menstruation: anemia, endometriosis, and PMS, just to name a few. The authors encourage readers to recognize what has gone previously unnoticed--that this monthly discomfort is simply not obligatory. They present compelling evidence that the suppression of menstruation is a viable option for women today, and that it can be easily attained through the use of birth control pills.In fact, they reveal that contraceptive manufacturers, knowing that many women equate menstruation with femininity and that without monthly bleeding would fear that they were pregnant, engineered pill dosage regimens to ensure the continuation of their cycles.Indeed, throughout history, societies have assigned menstruation powerful meaning,and Is Menstruation Obsolete? presents a fascinating history of how menstruation inspired doctors to try therapeutic bleeding for a variety of ailments, and how this therapy remained dominant in Western medicine until the early 20th century.

Is Menstruation Obsolete? offers women a fresh view of menstruation, providing them with the information they need to make progressive choices about their health.This is a message whose time has come. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Give it a Chance
Inspired by the premise of this book, I have gone without menstruating for two years now, and my only regret is that I didn't cease ten years earlier. I see absolutely no benefits of monthly bleeding.

Potentially convincing--but I'm not convinced
I find it hard to say this, as I'm not in the habit of flying in the face of well-marshalled evidence; but I'm really not convinced. I can't help but believe that behind this work are two suspect premises: a starting belief--not just a conclusion--in the inherent valuelessness of the inherently feminine (that is, that women should be more like men), and the inistence (which has also led to many strange diets) that we are, biologically, exactly what we were in prehistory. I can't accept either of these. Now it may fairly be said that this may be a personal bias; it's true that despite having fairly painful and heavy periods, I would be appalled at being asked to stop having them (menopause, I can see, is going to be...educational.) And I will agree that for women whose menstrual suffering is extreme, or whose health doesn't support it, there might be some benefits to giving menstruation up. However, I don't think I'm alone in believing that there are physical health benefits to be derived from menses in a healthy woman. Aren't there also scientists who believe that menstruation is good for the uterus, that the flow flushes out toxins and relieves the buildup of hormones? Mightn't it fairly be said that the action of hormones in the body is not so well understood that tampering with the hormonal cycles is not without risk? And physically speaking--this is anecdotal, yes, but not terribly subjective--this is a time when the body, at least, definitely acts differently. Colon and bladder tend to flush out as well as uterus; speaking for myself, I eat very little, drink a great deal of water, and come out of the menses feeling much more energetic. If there's time to physically rest--sleep, meditate, and let the body do its thing--the results are better still. All this suggests to me that, potential emotional or intellectual benefits aside, the body benefits from this rest or break in its normal activities. As for the "stone age" argument, I weary of hearing it in context with the so-called "cave man diet", and I'm not impressed with it here. We don't hesitate to live 20th century lives or to give up the "natural" when it suits us; we are not in agreement anyway about how "all" prehistoric humans lived (and I don't see us going back to getting most of our protein from grasshoppers and carrion, a reasonable probability.) No one seems to have convincing evidence that we *couldn't* have adjusted to eating bread or having fewer children over the course of 10,000 years (a moth's characteristic coloring can change in a few generations, when natural selection is sufficiently intense). And, finally, we are already living hugely longer and more healthy lives than our supposedly protein-heavy and perpetually pregnant ancestors--so why do we want to go back to their biological model? If indeed menstruation is a drain on our health, it's clearly not half the drain of repeated pregnancy and childbearing, but no one asks if pregnancy is obsolete. If periods do "become obsolete", if women do--as so many men AND women seem to want--become "more like men", I really can't believe that this would be an overall benefit. Yes, it can be inconvenient to menstruate--in a world geared to men's cycles and programmed to ignore women's. Yes, we might be able to stay "younger" by not doing so--in a world which apparently values perpetual youth (with its shallowness and self-absorption). But the real problem is not menstruation; it's the insistent spread of industrial western dogma, which says that we should never need to rest from work and hard play, never be at the mercy of our bodies, and never grow old. Not me. I want to rest when I'm tired and fuzzy; I want to work with my body instead of running it by remote control from up above; and I want to experience the change that cycles of all kind bring. This is what people used to call life. Without these things, I'm not sure what to call it.

A Must Read
This book is a must read for every woman who wants to better understand menstruation and the cycles of her life. The author writes in fascinating detail from a historical, medical, and cultural perspective about what causes menstruation, how it has evolved through time, and what facts are important to current discussions about menstruation. The author makes a convincing argument that menstruation is not obligatory. He details the troubling disorders related to contunial menstruation such as anemia, endometriosis, and PMS. He then purports suppressing menstruation results in increased health advantanges for women. This book cannot be ignored. It provides critical information that will help any women make an informed decision regarding her health.

Illogical Outcomes
The menstrual cycle culminating in monthly shedding of the uterus is much much more than just a monthly bleeding process. Unfortunately few modern women are in touch with the many benefits of our natural cycle, the time in the cycle of high creativity, the time to go in and be reflective, the time to be a powerful woman, the time of higher sex drive, etc. Since so few women understand or use effectively the hormone changes throughout the month, most see it as just a nuisance. All in all there has been very little research on the woman's cycle, so it is very hard to understand how Coutinho can come to the conclusions he has reached in his book. Men are living longer too and one of the most frequently seen diseases in older men is prostrate cancer which is relieved when sperm is suppressed. So would he advocate removing the ability to produce sperm for men of middle age to reduce the chance of prostrate cancer? To take medication that would eliminate menstruation to prevent a disease that an individual might or might not get and suffer a reduced sex drive, and lose the benefit of the monthly cycle just doesn't make sense. In an interniew Coutinho even said that loss of a woman's sex drive was not important. Well some of us would like to keep our libido intact.

Menstruation Definitely Deserving Research
There certainly is a great amount of information to be found in this book. Although there is a tendency for the reading to somewhat "lost in the translation" from the original edition, the premise is very straightforward and provocative. As more research is conducted in the areas of female reproductive system, this book should serve as a good introduction. There is sound reasoning that menstruation be suppressed in women with endometriosis, anemia, and other afflictions. Additional research suggests that other diseases will be connected to menstruation once more is understood. The prevailing theme is strongly reasserted throughout the book. Women have only recently been enduring menstruation on a regular basis. The fact that women, throughout history, have been in either a pregnant or lactating condition is one fact which clearly illustrates the point. I also found the early chapters which give a chronological foundation, to be informative. The early history, from the Roman Empire through the modern age, was quite interesting. I do recommend the book. I am convinced that if more people were to read the book, health and wealth would be logical consequences. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

OBS GYN Ultrasonography
Well done text that can help educate sonographers and sonologists. Nicely put together. Good information.

up-to-date fetal and OBS-GYN sono info in many areas
fine book for sonographers, radiology residents and ultrasonologist ... Read more

Book Description

Highland Park Hospital, Illinois. Pocket-sized manual for residents and medical students. Concise descriptions of common gynecologic disorders. Also discusses birth control. DNLM: Genital Diseases, Female - handbooks. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Woman's Book Of Herbs
This book is a rare thing. By that I mean that although there are many, *many* herb books on the market, and a goodly percentage of those books are categorized as female-specific, this particular book doesn't feel like mere repetition of basic material, or intent subverted by its personalized approach and themes. I purchased it because there was an elegant little drawing of poppies on the cover, and the price was low enough that I thought to take the risk despite a lack of review. It was a good choice. The book has an accessible feel to it; as an ethnobotanist I appreciate the veracity of information. As a very UNscientific scientist, I appreciate the humanistic "real people" kinda tone which doesn't lose its impact on individual readers by being *too* specifically personal. It reads well and easily. Many of the inclusions are very catalytic in terms of promoting one's own experiences to experiment and pick up where the book leaves off. I'm also very grateful for the overall "tone" of the book. It does not preach or advocate a specific, tightly defined lifestyle. It is not boring. It doesn't get tangled up in its own self-conscious attempt to fuse good writing and good reading. You don't *have* to know a lot about herbs in order to appreciate it, but I believe the more you do know, the more you actually *will* appreciate it. I don't think you have to be female to get something useful from this book. And I definitely believe you don't have to be a specific type of female, or in a particular age group, in order to find great relevance and value. In a perfect world, we give books like this one very freely -- we give them to our daughters when they first start their monthly bleeding cycle. We give them to our sisters and friends when they're pregnant or new to motherhood. We give them to our mothers on mother's day or as croning gifts. We learn. We grow. So do the herbs in our gardens and our knowledge and experience. ... Read more

Book Description

Nutrition is pivotal to every aspect of human health.In psychical and mental development and from conception to death, good nutrition ensures optimum humanperformance in all areas of life. The consequences of poor nutrition are clearly seen in developed and developing countries alike, in the types of illness that prevail and the most common causes of premature death. Essentials of Human Nutrition has already astablished itself as the most reliable and accessible textbook for students embarking on courses in human nutrition. It has been adopted as a course textbook in several countriers and has proven to be an invaluable reference work for medical students, doctors and other health professionals requiring up-to-date, authoritative information on the role of nutrition in monitoring human health, in the causes and treatments of human illnesses and chronic disease prevention. This new edition builds on the success of the first by keeping the information contained as current as possible.All the sections have been thoroughly revised and updated and a new chapter on 'Functional Foods' has been added to this comprehensiveness of the coverage. Other topics include:Detailed analysis of all the major food groups; Disorders related to inappropriate food intake; Measuring nutrition; Exploration of changing needs through the life stages; Public health issues; Individual case studies. ... Read more

Book Description

Generations at Risk presents compelling evidence that human exposure to some toxic chemicals can have lifelong and even intergenerational effects on human reproduction and development. The result of a collaboration involving public health professionals, physicians, environmental educators, and policy advocates, this book examines how scientific, social, economic, and political systems may fail to protect us from environmental and occupational toxicants. It is an important sourcebook for those concerned about their own health and that of their loved ones, as well as for medical and public health workers, community activists, policymakers, and industrial decision makers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Valuable Compendium of Risk
Generations at Risk is a perfect blend of science and advocacy. Not just for the more technically minded reader, it addresses not only comprehensive reviews of chemicals and their effects, but includes the rationale of policy makers, industry, and the public. Excellent desk reference of history and science for anyone concerned with the dangers of chemical exposure. ... Read more

Book Description

From the Foreword by John J. Sciarra, M.D., Ph.D., Thomas J. Watkins Professor and Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Past President of FIGO, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago:"This book is by far the most comprehensive and up-to-date source on multiple pregnancy. It discusses cutting-edge options and technologies, and covers subjects not mentioned in other monographs on twins. Specifically, it describes the vanishing twin and its causes, congenital defects, selective reduction procedures, the use of ultrasound, and the twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Additionally, it provides an extensive discussion of epidemiology, which makes use of governmental data sources from the USA and Europe. An important section on the childhood growth and development of twins is also included. Finally, thorough consideration is given to parental needs both in the antepartum and the postpartum periods. The volume concludes with a special section on support organizations. "The varied content of Multiple Pregnancy: Epidemiology, Gestation and Perinatal Outcomes should act as a source of stimulation for clinicians, investigators, and others involved in either the care of these patients or in research in this important and fascinating area of medicine."From the Foreword by John J. Sciarra, M.D., Ph.D., Thomas J. Watkins Professor and Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Past President of FIGO, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago:"This book is by far the most comprehensive and up-to-date source on multiple pregnancy. It discusses cutting-edge options and technologies, and covers subjects not mentioned in other monographs on twins. Specifically, it describes the vanishing twin and its causes, congenital defects, selective reduction procedures, the use of ultrasound, and the twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Additionally, it provides an extensive discussion of epidemiology, which makes use of governmental data sources from the USA and Europe. An important section on the childhood growth and development of twins is also included. Finally, thorough consideration is given to parental needs both in the antepartum and the postpartum periods. The volume concludes with a special section on support organizations. "The varied content of Multiple Pregnancy: Epidemiology, Gestation and Perinatal Outcomes should act as a source of stimulation for clinicians, investigators, and others involved in either the care of these patients or in research in this important and fascinating area of medicine." ... Read more

Book Description

New discoveries indicate that the most important interactions in determining our fate occur before birth. These processes are an evolutionary echo of mechanisms which allowed our ancestors to survive as hunter-gatherers. Two of the world's leading pioneering authorities reveal exciting insights into a rapidly emerging field. They suggest new ways of protecting the health of the fetus, infant and adult and cover important triggers for many emerging diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. ... Read more

Book Description

Since the publication of the 1/e in 1977, BLAUSTEIN'S PATHOLOGY OF THE FEMALE GENITAL TRACT has consolidated its position as the leading textbook of gynecological pathology. An essential reference for all pathologists and residents, this thoroughly updated Fifth Edition includes more than 350 new illustrations and 28 revised chapters written by internationally recognized experts. Discussion of each specific entity is organized to include general information, etiology, and epidemiology followed by clinical features, pathologic findings, differential diagnosis, clinical behavior, and treatment. This clear organization is applied throughout the book and allows the reader to quickly access expert information in every chapter.

Updates to the Fifth Edition include revisions to the chapter on Precancerous Lesions of the Cervix in which cytology has been integrated with histology and the role of HPV in cervical cancer screening is discussed in detail, as well as updates to the chapters on Endometrial Carcinoma, Mesenchymal Tumors of the Uterus, Surface Epithelial Tumors of the Ovary, and Gestational Trophoblastic Disease. The chapters on Molecular Biology and Immunohistochemistry have also been extensively revised as these techniques move out of the research laboratory and become incorporated into routine practice.

Under the editorship of Robert J. Kurman, MD, BLAUSTEIN'S PATHOLOGY OF THE FEMALE GENITAL TRACT remains the gold-standard reference for practicing pathologists and trainees, as well as for gynecology practitioners and residents. ... Read more

Book Description

It's a girl. And a boy! Jack and Sarah Marsh are having their babies. But only after years of anguish, frustration, and disappointment. Until very recently, Sarah and Jack were infertile.

So ends the long-but fruitful-tale of our fictional couple.The Journey to Fertility describes in clear, compassionate detail the process experienced by some of the one in five couples whose infertility leads them to in vitro fertilization (IVF).The tour takes you from initial evaluation through the necessary pre-IVF treatments to the ultimate in advanced reproductive techniques-IVF and its relatives.

But The Journey to Fertility offers more than facts.Here couples will find support, counsel, and encouragement that will help smooth the bumps they encounter along their own personal road to parenthood.

The Journey to Fertility should be read by all couples considering IVF-to pave the way for a smooth trip-and by those who know such a couple-to enhance their understanding of what women and men longing to have children must endure. ... Read more

Book Description

This guide to micromanipulation techniques, for assisted conception in a clinical setting, includes detailed descriptions of all common micromanipulation systems currently in use in IVF laboratories. In explaining how to optimize their successful use, the volume covers state-of-the-art techniques including ICSI, and procedures such as assisted hatching and the blastomere biopsy (for PGD). Valuable information on troubleshooting mechanical and technical difficulties is provided to help professionals ranging from technicians to consultant obstetricians master the techniques. ... Read more