62 



AMAXD ROUTH, M.D., F.R.C.P., ON MOTHERHOOD. 



This would give time for the present housing difficulties to be 

 overcome. 



There is plenty of scriptural encouragement to continence and 

 self-control, but I can find no recognition or approval of any 

 artificial Umitation. 



It is now reahzed that the knowledge of contraceptives has 

 extended to the unmarried, who in some instances, instead of 

 being enthusiastic for marriage and motherhood, are content 

 to lead a fife of unchastity before marriage and to try to avoid, 

 by artificial means, the risks of maternity after marriage. 



The Risks of Normal Motherhood. 



About four mothers in 1000 confuiements lose their lives, 

 and many more lose their good health, but it is now clearly 

 estabhshed that early medical supervision of pregnant women, 

 especially valuable during their first pregnancy, makes maternity 

 almost free from danger, and even enables the risks of labour 

 itself to be largely ehminated. Let every expectant mother 

 consult a doctor and attend to his ad\dce, for most of the 

 potential compHcations of the confinement will be recognized, 

 and can be so dealt v\'ith that danger will be averted. 



Mortality of Children before Birth. 



Perhaps one in ten die early in pregnancy, or do not survive 

 their birth. The health of the child during the mother's 

 pregnancy is necessarily dependent upon the health of the mother, 

 and the child's ill-health can only be treated through the mother 

 during that period. Very few children need die during pregnancy 

 if their mothers come under medical supervision and are scientifi- 

 cally treated by modem methods. 



Mortality of Children during and soon after Birth. 



Motherhood is necessarily stripped of all its happiness and 

 contentment if the child is stillborn or only lives a few days or 

 weeks. 



Yet this is what now frequently happens, for more than one- 

 third of the deaths of infants who die in their first year of life 

 die in the first month, and more than half of these actually 

 perish in the first week, whilst nearly one in eight of these 

 infantile deaths occur on the day of their birth. 



