Handbook of Clinical Laboratory Testing During Pregnancy

Practicing specialists in pathology, laboratory medicine, and obstetrics comprehensively summarize the latest scientific findings and their experiences in the use and interpretation of laboratory testing in patients who are pregnant or experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss. Topics of interest include the effects of normal physiological changes on test results, test selection for diagnosis, changes in reference ranges, monitoring the pregnant patient, new technologies, and the limitations of laboratory testing. The authors not only clearly explain currently used test methods and technologies for the nontechnical reader, but also provide comprehensive details for laboratory professionals. The comprehensive appendix that compiles published normal reference ranges by first, second, and third trimester consttitutes an excellent resource for professionals caring for pregnant women.

1 Human Pregnancy: An Overview.- 2 Human Chorionic Gonadotropin.- 3 Biological Markers of Preterm Delivery.- 4 Markers of Fetal Lung Maturity.- 5 Maternal Prenatal Screening for Fetal Defects.- 6 Chromosome Analysis in Prenatal Diagnosis.- 7 Diagnosis and Monitoring of Ectopic and Abnormal Pregnancies.- 8 Thyroid Disease During Pregnancy: Assessment of the Mother.- 9 Thyroid Disease During Pregnancy: Assessment of the Fetus.- 10 Hematology and Hemostasis During Pregnancy.- 11 Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn.- 12 Prenatal Screening and Diagnosis of Congenital Infections.- 13 Laboratory Testing for Group B Streptococcus in the Pregnant Patient.- 14 Immunologic Diseases of Pregnancy.- 15 Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.- 16 Multifetal Gestations.- 17 Diabetes in Pregnancy.- 18 Preeclampsia, Eclampsia, and Hypertension.- 19 Liver Diseases in Pregnancy.