Effects of telephone support on stress and perceived social support in primiparous women experiencing nausea and vomiting in the first half of pregnancy

Gestational nausea and vomiting are positively correlated with stress and stress is negatively associated with social support. Due to advances in technology, telephone has become the most accessible device for home-based support. This study aimed to determine the effects of telephone support on stress and perceived social support in primiparous women experiencing nausea and vomiting during the first half of pregnancy. This clinical trial was conducted on 60 healthy pregnant women suffering from mild nausea and vomiting in the first half of pregnancy. They were randomly assigned to intervention [n=30] and control [n=30] groups. The intervention group received social support twice a week for a period of four weeks. Each phone conversation lasted around 15-20 minutes. During these conversations, dietary and lifestyle changes during pregnancy, as well as ways to reduce fatigue and improve psycho-emotional status, were discussed. The control group received routine care. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Visual Analogue Scale for stress. Independent t-test and paired test were performed, using SPSS version 16. No significant difference was found in the mean scores of stress in two groups at the beginning and end of the study [P=0.052]. However, social support score at the beginning of the study was significantly different from that at the end of the study in both groups [P=0.036]. It is recommended that telephone support be integrated into the routine care of women with nausea and vomiting in order to improve their perceived social support and decrease their stress

Effect of jogging program on midwives' physical fitness: a randomized, controlled trial

Physical fitness is essential for maintaining optimal health and can be achieved and improved by doing physical activities. Maximal oxygen consumption [VO2 max] has been used as a measure of physical fitness. This study aimed to determine the effect of jogging program on midwives' physical fitness. In this randomized controlled trial two large healthcare centers in Mashhad were randomly selected and each center assigned to either intervention or control group. 60 employed midwives, working at these centers, were selected via convenience sampling. The intervention group performed aerobic exercises at 30-60% VO2 max during 24 sessions. At the beginning and end of the study, participants' physical fitness was measured by calculating VO2 max, using Bruce test. Independent t-test, paired t-test, Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon, and Chi-square tests were carried out using SPSS version 19 to analyse data. The two groups showed no significant difference in terms of age, marital status, level of education, economic status and body mass index [P>0.05]. Mean VO2 max in the intervention group [30.6 +/- 9.1] was significantly higher than that of the control group [24.3 +/- 7.3] [P=0.023]. Participants' physical fitness was increased up to 30% by jogging. As the results indicated, jogging could improve midwives' physical fitness. Therefore, it is essential that health system directors pay more attention to providing facilities at every workplace in order to improve employees' physical fitness

Comparing post-traumatic stress disorder in primiparous and multiparous women with Preeclampsia

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] is one of the anxiety disorders which occurs in postpartum period. The prevalence of PTSD induced by preeclampsia has been already reported as 28%, however no study was found to compare PTSD in primiparous and multiparous women. This study was therefore conducted to compare PTSD in primiparous and multiparous women. This comparative descriptive study was performed on 100 pregnant women with preeclampsia including 56 primiparous and 44 multiparous women, who selected conveniently from labor wards of university hospitals in Mashhad, Iran in 2012. PTSD was diagnosed by psychiatrist and Perinatal Post-traumatic stress Questionnaire [PPQ] in 6th week postpartum. Social support was measured using modified Hopkins questionnaire in 2nd and 6th week postpartum. Data were analyzed with SPSS version16 using Spearman correlation coefficient and Mann-Whitney U test. The rate of PTSD was 24% in primiparous and 37.8% in multiparous women. There was no significant difference in relation to mean score of PTSD in primiparous and multiparous women. Mean score of social support in 2nd and 6th week postpartum was significantly higher in primiparous women [P

[Relationship between delivery method and postpartum depression]

Introduction: Postpartum depression is a prevalent disorder with different etiologies, among them mode of delivery. The present study was conducted to determine relationship between mode of delivery and depression in women at 2 and 8 weeks postpartum

Materials and Methods: In this prospective analytic study [2007-2008], a total of 420 women visited at health centers in Amol city who met inclusion criteria were recruited through non-probability sampling and filled the questionnaire of Edinburgh postpartum scale [EPDS] during the third trimester of pregnancy. Women who had EPDS score>12 were excluded. Three hundred cases were followed 2 and 8 weeks postpartum and completed questionnaires on demographics, delivery, postpartum, and infant characteristics and Edinburgh postpartum depression scale. Data were analyzed using by SPSS software, chi-square, T-test, Mann-Whitney, and Linear regression

Results: There was no significant difference between two groups in their education, occupation, economic status, and wanted/unwanted pregnancy, satisfaction from husband and family support. At 2[nd] week postpartum, prevalence of postpartum depression was 10.3% and there was no significant difference between 2 groups. At 8[th] week postpartum the prevalence of depression was 13% and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the mean score of postpartum depression at 2[nd], 8[th] weeks

Conclusion: Regarding the high prevalence of postpartum depression, the screening, recognition and assessment of this disorder is important. Health care providers should consider educating women during pregnancy and postpartum

Study of the effects of massage therapy on the intensity of labor fatigue

Fatigue is common to pregnant women, 80% of whom consider fatigue as one of the ten health concerns. Affecting the nervous and muscular systems, massage therapy induces muscular relaxation, blood circulation and excretion of body waste including lactic acid which leads to energy release. This study is therefore conducted to investigate the effect of massage on the intensity of labor fatigue in the primipara admitted to Bentolhoda Hospital in Bojnord, Iran in 2005. This clinical trial was conducted on 62 primiparous women [18 to 32 years old] who were candidates of natural labor. The subjects were purposively selected and randomly assigned into massage therapy and conventional caregiving. The former [32 subjects] received back or leg massage or both. But the latter [the control group] received no massage therapy. Fatigue intensity before and 30 minutes after intervention were measured and recorded by a visual scale over the three labor phases. The data were analyzed in SPSS using student t- test, paired t- test, chi-square and linear test. Significant differences, across the two groups, were observed in the fatigue intensity of the latent phase and the transition phase but not in the active phase. Before and after means were statistically different in the transition phase for the massage therapy group. Massage therapy reduces the fatigue intensity of latent and transition phases. As labor fatigue intensity is lightest during the transition phase, massage therapy can be applied in pregnant women, as a non- invasive and conservative procedure, in order to relieve fatigue intensity and to enhance their health and well being

comparison of personality characteristics of medical university students with and without early dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea is one of the common problems of women at the childbearing age and has social, psychological, physical and economic consequences. As emotional factors influence physical conditions and the perception of pain, this study was conducted at the University of Mashad, Iran to compare the personality features of medical students with and without early dysmenorrheal. This is a descriptive analytical and cross-sectional study and the study population was the female medical students at Mashad University of Medical Sciences in 2004. 200 students were proportionately sampled using a subject selection form. They also filled out the interview checklist, the lifestyle questionnaire and the Cassidy Social Support Form. On specific days, the menses pain intensity form, history of menses form and Eysenk Personality Questionnaire were completed. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS using Chi square, Fischer's Exact Test, t-test, Mann Whitney and Regression model. Significant differences were found between the two groups as for the frequency of introversion: in the group with dysmenorrhea 67% and the other group only 12% were introverts. In addition, the frequency of neurosis was statistically different across the two groups [52% in the group with dysmenorrhea and 10% in the other group]. Also the two groups were statistically different in the prevalence of psychosis [72% versus 32% for the group with and without dysmenorrheal respectively]. Introversion, psychosis and neurosis were more prevalent in women with dysmenorrhea than in women without dysmenorrhea

comparison of perineal pain in two methods of episiotomy repair with and without skin suture in primiparous women

The technique of repair and choosing the way of suturing are likely the most important factors on the morbidity associated with perineal trauma, so this research was done to evaluate perineal pain in two methods of episiotomy repair [with and without skin suture] in primiparous women who gave birth at Hazrat Zeinab Hospital in 1999 to January 2000. In this clinical trial research, 54 healthy peimiparous women with term pregnancies requiring surgical repair of episiotomy following a normal spontaneous delivery, were chosen for experimental and control groups randomly. In experimental group after repairing vaginal mucus and perineal muscles, fascia was repaired with continuous sutures not to leave skin edges more than 0.5 cm apart and skin was left without suture, but in control group skin was repaired with interrupted sutures.perineal pain was measured in all women by VAS at first 24 hours and 5[th], 10[th], 21[st] days postpartum. Perineal pain at first 24 hours postpartum [P<0.0001], 5[th] day [P<0.0001], 10[th] day [P = 0.0004] and 21[st] day [P = 0.0018] was less in 1experimental group. There were no significant difference in wound healing between two groups. Episiotomy repair without skin sutures reduces postpartum perineal pain. In this method wound healing was not postponed, and there were no apparent disadvantages like infection and wound breakdown observed