Medical Complications During Pregnancy

Abstract

It is well known that every system in the body is affected by pregnancy to greater or lesser extent. What is less well known is the manner in which the normal changes of pregnancy modify the course of almost every disease. Also, the drugs commonly used to treat such diseases may or may not be suitable for use in pregnancy. Unfortunately, most textbooks of medicine give little or no consideration to pregnancy, contenting themselves with the observation that the effects of this or that drug in pregnancy are either harmful or unknown, or that the risks must be weighed against the benefits. This book is not designed as a complete text of general medicine, but it is an admirable and comprehensive survey of the manifestations of medical illnesses in pregnancy and the manner in which they should be dealt with. Virtually all systems are considered. Each section is opened by