| Contributors | |
| Foreword | |
| Preface | |
| Acknowledgements | |
| 1 | The Midwife | 3 |
| 2 | The Social Context of Childbirth and Motherhood | 13 |
| 3 | Woman-Centred, Midwife-Friendly Care: Principles, Patterns and Culture of Practice | 31 |
| 4 | Ethics in Midwifery | 49 |
| 5 | Evidence-Based Practice | 63 |
| 6 | The History and Regulation of Midwifery | 77 |
| 7 | The Female Pelvis and the Reproductive Organs | 99 |
| 8 | The Female Urinary Tract | 123 |
| 9 | Hormonal Cycles: Fertilisation and Early Development | 133 |
| 10 | The Placenta | 143 |
| 11 | The Fetus | 151 |
| 12 | Preparing for Pregnancy | 167 |
| 13 | Change and Adaptation in Pregnancy | 185 |
| 14 | Parent Education: a New Dimension | 215 |
| 15 | Special Exercises for Pregnancy, Labour and the Puerperium | 231 |
| 16 | Antenatal Care | 251 |
| 17 | Abnormalities of Early Pregnancy | 275 |
| 18 | Problems of Pregnancy | 295 |
| 19 | Common Medical Disorders Associated with Pregnancy | 321 |
| 20 | Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy | 357 |
| 21 | Sexually Transmissible and Reproductive Tract Infections in Pregnancy | 373 |
| 22 | Multiple Pregnancy | 391 |
| 23 | Specialised Fetal Investigations | 411 |
| 24 | The First Stage of Labour: Physiology and Early Care | 435 |
| 25 | The First Stage of Labour: Management | 455 |
| 26 | Pain Relief and Comfort in Labour | 471 |
| 27 | Transition and the Second Stage of Labour | 487 |
| 28 | Physiology and Management of the Third Stage of Labour | 507 |
| 29 | Prolonged Pregnancy and Disorders of Uterine Action | 531 |
| 30 | Malpositions of the Occiput and Malpresentations | 551 |
| 31 | Operative Deliveries | 581 |
| 32 | Midwifery and Obstetric Emergencies | 599 |
| 33 | Physiology and Care in the Puerperium | 625 |
| 34 | Physical Problems and Complications in the Puerperium | 639 |
| 35 | The Psychology and Psychopathology of Pregnancy and Childbirth | 653 |
| 36 | Family Planning | 673 |
| 37 | Bereavement and Loss in Maternity Care | 693 |
| 38 | The Baby at Birth | 709 |
| 39 | The Normal Baby | 727 |
| 40 | Feeding | 749 |
| 41 | The Healthy Low Birthweight Baby | 781 |
| 42 | Recognising the Ill Baby | 797 |
| 43 | Respiratory Problems | 813 |
| 44 | Trauma during Birth; Haemorrhage and Convulsions | 825 |
| 45 | Congenital Abnormalities | 841 |
| 46 | Jaundice and Infection | 863 |
| 47 | Metabolic Problems, Endocrine Disorders and Drug Withdrawal | 891 |
| 48 | Pharmacology and Childbirth | 905 |
| 49 | Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Maternity Care | 919 |
| 50 | Community, Public Health and Social Services | 935 |
| 51 | Supervision of Midwives and Clinical Governance | 959 |
| 52 | Risk Management | 975 |
| 53 | Organisation of the Health Services in the United Kingdom | 989 |
| 54 | International Midwifery | 1001 |
| 55 | Vital Statistics | 1019 |
| Glossary of Selected Terms | 1031 |
| Index | 1037 |