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The Creator never intended that pregnancy should be a source of disease; but ignorance, false modesty, fashion, previously-acquired diseases of the womb, errors of regimen and diet, a weak constitution, bad training in girlhood, often lay the foundations of serious troubles during preg- nancy. At the head of them stand:

Such are, undefined fear of pending evil; anxiety about the future, and fear of dying; many forebodings and gloom, even to despair.

These mental disturbances, although they may have no cause, are serious in the extreme. It is important to the mother's well-being, and to a happy termination of her labor, that these mental illusions should be conquered. Serious consequences have been produced by an over- wrought imagination. This dark phantom that hangs over the reason of the already burdened patient should be chased away by gentle reasoning and moral suasion.

Mothers, your God is a God of love, and would not threaten with danger her who is the mother of mankind. A special reason exists why the Great Father should ex- tend his protecting hand over a woman who bears a human being in her womb. Fear and despondency is not grati- tude or thanksgiving to Him who willed it that to bear a child should be a gift to woman, who can love and protect her offspring with all the strength of her soul. In (168)