Preface

Welcome to the 12th and current edition of Lange: Current Obstetric & Gynecologic Diagnosis & Treatment.

The 11th edition has been highly acclaimed, achieving national and international accolades for its up-to-date comprehensive review of the field of obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN). The 12th edition is even better. The content has been expanded, and extensive updates have been made.

Just as in all of medical science, the field of OB/GYN is growing by an explosion of new understandings. It is important in this textbook that we keep current. What better examples of the technology-driven advances in the discipline than cell-free DNA testing of maternal blood to genetically evaluate the fetus and preimplantation genetic diagnosis via embryo biopsy, which is used in in vitro fertilization? Advances such as these have added tremendously to the responsibilities of the clinical practitioner. These are just two examples. Every field and area, including gynecologic oncology, pelvic reconstructive surgery, family planning, and others, have new insights that are addressed.

The authors have been selected because of their expertise and focus in the field. We have strived for a global approach to OB/GYN. The 11th edition has been translated into Spanish, Greek, German, Japanese, and Dutch, to mention a few. Circulation has grown dramatically and, in many countries, Lange: Current Obstetric & Gynecologic Diagnosis & Treatment is the primary textbook for OB/GYN.

Not only is the book designed for medical students and residents, but the practicing physician will find this a practical guide to management of common and uncommon conditions. From the preface of the 11th edition, “this is a single source reference for practitioners focusing on practical aspects of clinical diagnosis and patient management.” This book covers more than 1000 diseases in a comprehensive fashion.

Once again, an emphasis is placed on prevention of disease, and in this edition, the concepts of precision medicine are introduced, making this an up-to-date textbook. The book is well illustrated and contains innumerable charts and graphs to further illustrate and expand upon the topics covered. The 12th edition has been entirely updated to provide a scholarly and current answer for any question regarding OB/GYN and its varied subspecialties.