Book excerpt: Thoroughly revised edition of this well-known text is prompted by the popularity of the previous edition among both students and practitioners. The revised edition has been endeavoured keeping the key objective of Dr Fernando Arias alive—to provide Obs & Gynae residents, fellows in Maternal–Fetal Medicine, obstetricians, general physicians and interested nurses and medical students with a source of practical information about complications of pregnancy.• Most of the chapters have been completely re-written. • A new chapter 'Impact of Advances in Genetics on Prenatal Diagnosis' has been added, which does justice to the enormous advances in the field of Prenatal Genetics in the recent years. • Our understanding of multiple pregnancies has increased considerably. A separate chapter on multiple pregnancy has been added given that multiple pregnancies are at high risk of developing problems and therefore require greater attention. • An entire section of intrapartum problems has been added, making this a comprehensive Obstetric text. • The editors have managed to persuade leaders in the field to write for this edition. The chapters are authored by researchers working on the coalface. Their first-hand experience, knowledge, wisdom and hard work are evident in this edition.