fear-tension-pain syndrome

fear-tension-pain syndrome,

a concept formulated by Grantly Dick-Read, M.D., to explain the pain commonly expected and reported in childbirth. The concept proposes that attitudes induce anxiety before labor and cause fear in labor. This fear causes muscular and psychologic tension that interferes with the natural processes of dilation and delivery, resulting in pain. He advocated education, exercise, and warm emotional and physical support in labor to counteract the syndrome and coined the term natural childbirth for a labor or delivery in which the well-trained woman joyfully, comfortably, and with a calm, cooperative attitude participates in a natural experience. Elements of his method of psychophysical preparation for childbirth are incorporated into most other methods of natural childbirth. See also Bradley method, Lamaze method, Read method.