ern
life, and particularly urban life, leave the female organism less able
to endure the drafts made upon the system by maternity, so that to
bear a child may mean not only the sacrifice of comfort, but even the
sacrifice of health.

The highly sensitive, delicately adjusted nervous system of the woman
is perhaps more profoundly influenced than any other part of her
being. This manifests itself particularly in a heightened degree of
sensitiveness. It goes without saying that the pregnant woman
deserves at the hands of all who come in contact with her, and
particularly at the hands of her husband, most considerate and
sympathetic treatment. Her little whims and vagaries, however
unreasonable, must always be treated seriously, and with delicate and
tactful consideration. The members of her family, particularly the
husband, owe it to her and to her child to keep her in as happy a
frame of mind as possible.

When we consider the real significance of maternity to the race, to
society, and to the family, we must feel that, of all human relations,
maternity is the most sacred, and that no condition should be allowed
to mar it, and no consideration to take precedence of it.

PATERNITY.

After the husband had contributed the male sexual cells, or
spermatozoa, in this wonderful process above outlined, it might seem
that there is little he can do, except to wait, while nature carries
on the process. The reader will remember, however, from the chapter on
Reproduction, that the contribution of the spermatozoa only initiates
the sacrifices that the paternal organism must make in this process.
Are there any demands on paternity between the time of conception of
the new life and its birth?

As already mentioned under the preceding topic, the pregnant mother
needs gentle and loving care. She needs to have her little whims and
foibles overlooked. She needs to be protected, so far as possible,
from every influence that might depress or make her unhappy. She needs
to be guarded against any unusual physical exertion, and above all,
she needs at this time more than at any other time, the manifested
affection and sympathy of her husband.

There is another sacrifice, if it may be so called, which the husband
is called upon to make during the pregnancy of his wife, namely, _to
abstain absolutely from sexual intercourse during the period of
pregnancy and for two or three months following_. This means
practically one year of continent