text: how they people in japan deal with pain?   i know that very few japanese women take drugs to ease labor pains.  doctors very rarely will give them to women. it is highly discouraged. i live in okinawa, japan on a military base and had my baby at the military hospital where i could have had drugs but opted not to.  i went to prenatal classes with japanese women and they told me all about it.  they're also told to gain only 12-16 pounds during pregnancy!!!  crazy!