There have been both major and minor changes in gynaecological pathology since the first edition of the book was written. Histopathologists are now much more likely to make use of immuno-histochemistry in their diagnosis, particularly of tumours, and several new pathological entities have been recognised: these have been included in this text. The manner of taking biopsies has also changed, so that endometrial biopsies, in particular, now tend to be small, superficial and fragmented and it may be impossible to assess the quality and uniformity of secretory change and, hence, to recognise an inadequate or poor response to what may have been apparently adequate hormonal stimulation. The increasing tendency to remove biopsies and even whole lesions piecemeal, as well as to collapse cysts laparoscopically, may create problems when the lesion is not, as had been anticipated, benign.

Early termination of pregnancies has made it more difficult to recognise the very early, yet equally significant, placental changes of partial and complete molar pregnancies.

The improvements in, and variety of, treatments for neoplasms has made the accurate diagnosis even more important if women are to benefit from the progress made in recent years.

We hope that this edition will be of help to gynaecologists in steering their way through the complexities of gynaecological and obstetrical histopathology.