TO THE EDITOR: I read with interest...

TO THE EDITOR: I read with interest the of the highest order article (1) on nonpharmacologic pain relief in labor in the September 15 2003 issue of American Family Physician. The authors are to be applauded for describing drug-free orderly dispositions of labor pain relief, especially in an era when the use of epidurals is widespread.

I would like to point revealed the Bradley method of husband-coached natural childbirth (http://www.bradleybirth.com). Described by the agency of Robert Bradley, M.D., an American obstetrician, the Bradley arrangement supports non-pharmacologic labor pain relief in consequence of extensive prenatal patient education.2 Bradley prenatal classes provide married pairs with prenatal exercises, training in discerning abdominal breathing, husband-coaching techniques of pain management, stres reduction [i]modus operandi[/i]s and labor management techniques.

I am happy to report that my 41-year-old primigravida wife lately delivered a beautiful, healthy, full-term 6 lb 4 oz baby girl without any pharmacologic intervention using the Bradley natural childbirth means It is noteworthy that I was not informed of this helpful childbirth order during any of my formal family practice residency training. Rather, my wife learned of the Bradley regularity in a college class in succession developmental psychology. Family physicians and obstetricians ne to be aware of this useful regularity of natural childbirth.

REFERENCES

(1) Leeman L Fontaine P King V Klein MC Ratcliffe s The nature and management of labor pain: part II. Pharmacologic pain relief. Am Fam Physician 2003;68:1115-20

(2) Bradley RA, Hathaway M Hathaway J Husband-coached childbirth. 4th ed New York: Bantam Books; 1996

ROBERT J SIGNORE, DO

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