This book describes the principles and skills of counselling. It provides practical guidelines which show, by example how to communicate effectively, how to offer counselling and support, and how to face and deal with difficult situations. Detailed attention is given to issues such as preparing women for surgery, breaking bad news, and providing information and support before, during and after childbirth.

This work aims to throw some light on questions relating to premature menopause, while challenging some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding it. Taking a biopsychosocial approach, the editors bring together experts from a range of disciplines, including endocrinology, gynaecology, general practice, nursing, psychotherapy, complementary medicine and clinical psychology, as well as hearing from women themselves. It offers information on the topic, as well as practical suggestions for improved health care.

The separation of procreation from conception has broadened notions of parenthood and created novel dilemmas. A woman may carry a foetus derived from gametes neither or only one of which came from her or her partner; or she may carry a foetus created using in vitro fertlization (IVF) with the purpose of handing it to two other parents, neither or both of whom may be genetically realted to the prospective child. Parents may consist of single-sex couples, only one of them genetically related to the child; the prospective mother may be past her menopause; and genetic parenthood after death is...

Myra Hunter and Melanie Smith have developed a pioneering group treatment for women going through the menopause. The evidence-based manual draws on their research which has demonstrated, in randomised controlled trials, that group CBT effectively reduces the impact of hot flushes and night sweats. The treatment is effective for women going through a natural menopause and for women who have had cancer treatment.