+
I dedicate this work to my wife, Lynn, who provided invaluable editorial assistance, support, and advice as this “megaproject” progressed. She has been my partner ever since I was an enthusiastic Medical College of Georgia student who usually had a bulging shirt pocket full of Polaroid® ultrasound pictures.
+
I want to acknowledge the expertise and contributions of our outstanding Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s sonographers and sonologists who are dedicated to clinical and teaching excellence. These include sonologists Rochelle Andreotti, MD; Glynis Sacks, MD; and Lori Diette, MD; sonographers Karen Tinsdale, RDMS (manager); Phil Williams, RDMS (lead sonographer); Jill Trotter, RDMS (Director of Sonographer Training Program); Amy Worley, RDMS; Veena Mahadevappa, RDMS; Christina Eum, RDMS; Dedra Walker, RDMS; Ashley Gilko, RDMS; Melissa Bruhuke, RDMS; Lily Lawler, RDMS; Courtney Coursey, RDMS; Kristie Bridgers, RDMS; Ben Staley, RDMS; Heather Preston, RDMS; Rachael Waters, RDMS; Agatha Gray, RDMS; Sharon Wheeler, RDMS at VUMC; Stacey Schroeder, RDMS; Lisa Cantrell, RDMS, Jill Henderson, RDMS at Vanderbilt Franklin Women’s Center; Hanna Richtley, RDMS at Northcrest Medical Center; and those at Center for Women’s Imaging—Mitzi van Sonnefelt, RDMS; Sandra Crabtree, RDMS; Vickie Matthews, RDMS; Alana Northcut, RDMS; Jan Herndon, RDMS; Nermin Doksh, RDMS; Casey Duke, RDMS; Meredith Hernedon, RDMS; Nancy Cross, RDMS; Kathleen Presley, RDMS; Stephanie Smith, RDMS; Stephanie Perry, RDMS; and Gina Smith, RDMS. The collaborative contributions of our OB/GYN colleagues in multiple subspecialties of women’s health are gratefully acknowledged. These include Dineo Khable, MD; Marta Crispens, MD; Howard W. Jones III, MD; Carl Zimmerman, MD; Bruce Beyer, MD; Christina Cain-Swope, MD; Tammy Callahan, MD; Etoi Garrison, MD; Lavena Carpenter, MD; and Dennis McWeeny, DO. The interdisciplinary efforts in this “megaproject” are reflected in the coauthorship of OB/GYNs Erin Rebele, MD; Melinda New, MD; Ted Anderson, MD; Howard Curlin, MD; Amanda Yunker, DO; and others of several chapters. I want to specifically acknowledge the enthusiastic and bright medical students who contributed to writing text and/or compiling Teaching Cases and Self Assessment Modules (SAM) and assisted in research and teaching. Those who have specifically contributed since the last edition include Larry Mason, MD; Katie Crowley, MD; Chirayu Shah, MD; Aditi Desai, MD; Chelsea Samson, MD; Ciarin Smolinsky, MD; Jeanette Mathieu, MD; and Mary Sun, MD. I feel privileged to be part of their education on their way to becoming significant contributors in their chosen fields.
+
I want to especially acknowledge Eugene Toy, MD and Jacques Abramowicz, MD, for their sage advice and support as this “megaproject” progressed from an easy conception through a challenging gestation to eventually become a healthy adolescent. The other section editors, Luis Gonçalves, MD; Ilan Timor, MD; Ana Monteagado, MD; and Frank Manning, MD, provided oversight in specific areas of expertise. The international authors are thanked for their important contributions in making this a global effort.
+
The audiovisual media expertise of John Bobbitt, maven media specialist, was essential during the gestation of this work.
+
Finally, Andrew Moyer (Senior editor, McGraw Hill Education), and his staff including Regina Brown (Senior Project Development Editor, McGraw Hill Education) and Dipika Rungta (Project Manager, Cenveo Publisher Services) are thanked for optimizing the educational value of the work.
+
+
+
To my wife, Annie, without whom nothing would be possible; my children, Shelly and Ory, and their spouses, Garrett and Esther; and my grandchildren, Sarah, Noah-Theo, Aaron-Gabriel, and Ariel-Dov. Thank you to my teachers and mentors over the years. Thank you to all my patients who taught me that there is always something new to learn.
+
-Jacques S. Abramowicz, MD
+
+
To Sofia, Bruno, and Rafael, who taught me the meaning of unconditional love.
+
+
+
I am ever grateful to my wife, Annie, for keeping me grounded and to my girls who provided incentive and encouragement. I so often think of the many fellows, residents, nurses, and colleagues from Winnipeg, Oxford, and New York who provided more knowledge and insight for my research endeavors and my career than I can ever really express. By standing on the shoulders of these fellow travelers, I was allowed to see into the future—and for this I am forever grateful.
+