Includes bibliographical references and index.

Pt. 1. Foundations for nursing care of childbearing families -- Maternity and women's health care today -- The Nurse's Role in Maternity and Women's Health Care -- Ethical, social, and legal issues -- Reproductive anatomy and physiology -- Hereditary and environmental influences on childbearing -- Pt. 2. The family before birth -- Conception and prenatal development -- Physiologic adaptations to pregnancy -- Psychosocial adaptations to pregnancy -- Nutrition for childbearing -- Antepartum fetal assessment -- Perinatal education -- Pt. 3. The family during birth -- Processes of birth -- Nursing care during labor and birth -- Intrapartum fetal surveillance -- Pain management during childbirth -- Nursing care during obstetric procedures -- Pt. 4. -- The family following birth -- Postpartum physiologic adaptations -- Postpartum psychosocial adaptations -- Normal newborn: processes of adaptation -- Assessment of the normal newborn -- Care of the normal newborn -- Infant feeding -- Home care of the infant -- Pt. 5. Families at risk during the childbearing period -- The childbearing family with special needs -- Complications of pregnancy -- Concurrent disorders during pregnancy -- Intrapartum complications -- Postpartum maternal complications -- High-risk newborn: complications associated with gestational age and development -- High-risk newborn: acquired and congenital conditions -- Pt. 6. Women's health care -- Family planning -- Infertility -- Preventive care for women -- Women's health problems.