Dr. Creasy has brought together a distinguished group of contributors to develop a new and timely text that specifically addresses the management of the birth process. "Management of Labor and Delivery" offers a concise up-to-date review on this important event. Written for all those who manage labor and delivery - including nurse midwives, family practitioners, and obstetricians, as well as students, residents, and specialists in maternal and fetal medicine - this book focuses on that pivotal time in a pregnant woman's life when the miracle of birth becomes a reality.Topics such as risk assessment, conduct of low risk labor, active management of labor, introduction to labor, analgesia and anesthesia, conduct of preterm labor, review of methods of fetal monitoring in labor, and multiple pregnancy labor management are thoroughly addressed. Special chapters on intrapartum-associated infectious complications, abnormal labor management and preterm delivery as well a chapter on auditing the labor ward units are included.