I wish to express my deep gratitude to Mr. Max Brodel for his invaluable counsel and guidance in planning and assembling the illustrations to elucidate the text. And I am very grateful to Mr. Gari Melchers for the spirit which I believe is infused into this book through the reproduction of two of his lovely paintings of a mother and baby, and to Mr. Russell Drake for his valuable drawings. I wish further to thank Mr. J. Norris Myers, of The Macmillan Company, for unfailing courtesy and helpfulness in facilitating all matters relating to the publication of this book. For statistical information I am indebted to Dr. Louis I. Dublin and for authority in offering the scientific background of the teaching I have drawn from “The Practice of Obstetrics” by J. Clifton Edgar; “Obstetrics” by J. Whitridge Williams; “The Diseases of Infants and Children” by J. P. Crozer Griffith and “The Prospective Mother” by J. Morris Slemons. CAROLYN CONANT VAN BLARCOM. New York City, 149 East 40th Street TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE xi INTRODUCTION 3 PART I. ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY CHAPTER I. ANATOMY OF THE FEMALE PELVIS AND GENERATIVE ORGANS 19 II. PHYSIOLOGY 45 PART II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BABY III. DEVELOPMENT OF THE OVUM, EMBRYO, FETUS, PLACENTA, CORD AND MEMBRANES 61 IV. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FETUS 84 V. SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND PHYSIOLOGY OF PREGNANCY 93 PART III. THE EXPECTANT MOTHER VI. PRENATAL CARE 111 VII. MENTAL HYGIENE OF THE EXPECTANT MOTHER 145 VIII. PREPARATION OF ROOM, DRESSINGS, AND EQUIPMENT FOR HOME DELIVERY 155 IX. COMPLICATIONS AND ACCIDENTS OF PREGNANCY 164 PART IV. THE BIRTH OF THE BABY X. PRESENTATION AND POSITION OF THE FETUS 217 XI. SYMPTOMS, COURSE, AND MECHANISM OF NORMAL LABOR 232 XII. NURSE’S DUTIES DURING LABOR 243 XIII. OBSTETRICAL OPERATIONS AND COMPLICATED LABORS 295 PART V. THE YOUNG MOTHER XIV. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE PUERPERIUM 317