cover image Columbia University Complete Guide to Pregnancy

Columbia University Complete Guide to Pregnancy

. Crown Publishers, $24.95 (358pp) ISBN 978-0-517-57030-2

Here a team of Columbia University doctors takes the reader on a somewhat academic journey through every stage of pregnancy. Topics en route include planning for pregnancy; choosing the right doctor; taking safety precautions; complications that can occur during high-risk pregnancies; and genetic considerations. Sidebars present practical and easy-to-scan information on subjects such as real versus false contractions. Special attention is paid to the impact of current issues, such as AIDS, on pregnancy. Though generally insightful when on clinical turf, the authors tend to oversimplify emotional issues, handing out reassuring pats on the back in place of critical evaluations of the often intricate issues complicating motherhood and fatherhood. Still, this problem is minor in a book that can generally serve as an instructive compendium of facts and a useful resource for brand-new and prospective parents. (Oct.)