to the editor: I read with interest the excellent article¹ 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 methods of labor pain relief, especially in an era when the use of epidurals is widespread.

I would like to point out the Bradley method of husband-coached natural childbirth (http://www.bradleybirth.com). Described by Robert Bradley, M.D., an American obstetrician, the Bradley method supports non-pharmacologic labor pain relief through extensive prenatal patient education.² Bradley prenatal classes provide couples with prenatal exercises, training in deep abdominal breathing, husband-coaching techniques of pain management, stress reduction methods, and labor management techniques.

I am happy to report that my 41-year-old primigravida wife recently delivered a beautiful, healthy, full-term 6 lb, 4 oz baby girl without any pharmacologic intervention using the Bradley natural childbirth method. It is noteworthy that I was never informed of this helpful childbirth method during any of my formal family practice residency training. Rather, my wife learned of the Bradley method in a college class on developmental psychology. Family physicians and obstetricians need to be aware of this useful method of natural childbirth.