Authors often compare publishing a book to birthing a baby – a metaphor that is even more apt when the book in question is THE medical textbook on high-risk pregnancy, delivery, and fetal health.

At 1,494 pages, the 9^th edition of Creasy & Resnick’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice weighs in at 9.79 pounds – a good two pounds heftier than the average newborn baby. Clad in a glossy purple cover, it is a book that demands attention on any shelf.

“I should have warned you guys to bring a wheelbarrow for your books,” joked Dr. Judette Louis, professor and chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and one of seven co-editors of the newest edition.

The department celebrated the publication of the new edition with a book-signing breakfast Wednesday for its trainees: 24 OB/GYN residents and four fellows in Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM). Both Dr. Louis and Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, dean of the Morsani College of Medicine and executive vice president of USF Health, were on hand to sign each copy. The publisher describes the book as “the definitive reference in the field for more than 35 years.”

“I am incredibly honored that Drs. Creasy and Resnik honored me as the new chief editor,” said Dr. Lockwood. He noted that the book would be 400 or so pages longer if it included all the references, which are only listed online.

“It’s definitely a great weight-bearing exercise,” joked Dr. Lockwood about the textbook’s heft.

Jokes aside, the residents said the book signing was a nice recognition that the physicians they are learning from are among the nation’s top experts.

“Knowing that we have some of the best mentors in the field as we go on to our careers – I think it’s inspiring,” said resident Dr. Rachelle Price, who will start her MFM fellowship next year.

“It’s amazing,” said Dr. Danielle Hardman. “I went to medical school here, so Dr. Lockwood’s been here during all my time here. It’s an honor” to have her textbook signed by him.

Resident Dr. Brittany Manobianco said one of her friends, who is going into MFM, was especially excited to get her copy.

“This is her Taylor Swift tour,” she proclaimed.

Perhaps fortunately, Ticketmaster did not work on the books – but the editors definitely did. Each editor was assigned a different section of the book, which includes chapters by a variety of authors who are experts on a variety of maternal and fetal high-risk conditions, such as premature labor and pregnancy-related hypertension. Editors conducted multiple levels of review and fact checks to ensure that each chapter reflects the latest science, evidence and best practices.

And then they proofed it all over again.

“I read every word in this book,” Dr. Lockwood said. “Every. Single. Word.”

Just how familiar is Dr. Lockwood with Creasy & Resnick?

Back when he was an MFM fellow himself, Dr. Lockwood studied the textbook’s first edition.

Photos by Allison Long, USF Health Communications.

For many years, women throughout the Tampa Bay area have turned to the University of South Florida for help as they transition through menopause.

Now that coordinated care has expanded with the opening of the USF Menopause Center, a multidisciplinary clinic designed to treat every aspect of menopause with a concierge approach to service.

“There are many symptoms associated with menopause, some directly and some indirectly,” said Barry S. Verkauf, MD, who is one of the nation’s leading experts on reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and is professor in the USF Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of the USF Menopause Center.

“This clinic will help women look at the entire menopause as a transition that can be safely managed so they can more fully enjoy the prime years of their lives.”

Dr. Barry Verkauf

Dr. Verkauf said two primary factors drove USF to expand the new Center: population demographics and the increasing emphasis in medicine on prevention and quality of life.

“With the baby boomer generation maturing, the number of women entering the menopause has more than doubled since 1990,” he said. “This increase means more and more women will need and want support for the biological, sociological, physiological and interpersonal changes they are experiencing. And that support will greatly improve their quality of life as they live through menopause and enjoy midlife.”

The Center provides improved, targeted clinical options for women. Comprehensive evaluations, care and treatment by specialists in gynecology, endocrinology and sociology help patients safely manage their menopause, as well as screen for the most prevalent health issues they might be facing during these same years, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and breast cancer.

“These four are most prevalent during the years of the peri and post menopause,” Dr. Verkauf said. “By screening our patients for these very serious, life-threatening diseases, we can offer a front-line approach to preventing future complications. We can also help evaluate early signs of depression and skin changes, which can also begin to appear during the same timeframe as menopause.”

Dr. Verkauf said the Center is working closely with local physicians specializing in these diseases, offering patients referral resources and a continuity of care to treat these major diseases. This network of physicians includes specialists in cardiology, psychology, endocrinology, rheumatology, sexual dysfunction, and sleep disorders.

Another key issue affecting these baby boomer women is misinformation, he said.

“Some earlier studies showing connections between using combinations of estrogen and progestin hormones with an increased risk for breast cancer and stroke have caused many women to turn away from hormone replacement therapy altogether,” he said.

“But those studies looked at a much older population, those in the mid-60s on average, and not those in their early 50s or late 40s, which are the more average ages for menopause and the menopausal transition.  The result is that women approached the menopause with a fear for hormones when, in fact, managed hormone treatment would be safe and effective for most women for combating the symptoms that leave many women feeling miserable.”

Dr. Verkauf said that the USF Menopause Center is meeting a huge demand for Tampa Bay area women.

“We are looking at the whole patient, a woman experiencing a completely natural stage in her life that can bring forth uncomfortable as well as serious symptoms,” he said. “Our aim is to help this woman live the best life possible through these years.”

Visit Womens.health.usf.edu for more information about the USF Menopause Center and other services offered by the USF Department of Ob/Gyn.

To make an appointment, visit myhealthcare.usf.edu or call (813) 259-8500.

Story by Sarah A. Worth, photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications