Primary ovarian insufficiency quality of life scale (POIQOLS): development and psychometric properties.

BACKGROUND: Primary ovarian insufficiency is menopause before the age of 40. It can affect the quality of life of afflicted women. Because there is no instrument available for measuring the quality of life of these women, the present study was carried out to develop and assess the psychometric properties of the quality of life scale for women with primary ovarian insufficiency. METHODS: This exploratory sequential mixed method study was performed in two phases. In the qualitative phase (item generation), semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 women having primary ovarian insufficiency, and a literature review was performed to generate initial items pool. In the quantitative phase (psychometric evaluation), the face, content, and construct validity (exploratory factor analysis), as well as reliability (internal consistency and test-retest methods), were evaluated. Besides, the responsiveness and interpretability were investigated. RESULTS: During the first phase of the study, the initial item pool was generated with 132 items. After the face and content validity, the number of items was reduced to 40. The results of exploratory factor analysis yielded a 28 item scale with six factors. These factors explained 58.55% of the total variance. The Cronbach's alpha for each factor was more than 0.7. Furthermore, the intraclass correlation coefficient for the entire scale was 0.95. CONCLUSIONS: The primary ovarian insufficiency quality of life scale (POIQOLS) is a valid and reliable tool for accessing the quality of life of women with primary ovarian insufficiency.

Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging features of fetal intracranial cystic lesions: A pictorial essay.

This pictorial essay focuses on ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of fetal intracranial cysts. Intracranial cysts are common findings in prenatal imaging, and if great attention is paid to their size, location, and imaging features, they can be diagnosed accurately. They are usually detected by fetal ultrasound exams. However, when ultrasound data on cystic lesion characteristics is insufficient, MRI and fetal neurosonogram are the best options for detecting other associated anomalies. The prognosis is highly dependent on their location and whether they are associated with other fetal anomalies.

Cutaneous adverse reactions of COVID-19 vaccines: A systematic review.

Numerous vaccines are under clinical development and implementation for the prevention of severe course and lethal outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This systematic review aims to summarize and integrated the findings of studies regarding cutaneous side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. This systematic review conducted by searching the scientific databases of PubMed, Scopus, Science direct, and Web of knowledge from the beginning of the COVID-19 to May 10, 2021. Articles were reviewed and analyzed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. Seventeen studies on cutaneous side effects of COVID-19 vaccines were included after the screening of search results based on to the eligibility criteria. The results showed that the most common injection site reactions and delayed large local reactions, arising from all vaccine types, were redness/erythema (39%), followed by: itchiness (28%), urticarial rash (17%) on the neck, upper limbs, and trunk, morbilliform eruptions (6.5%), Pityriasis rosea (3%), swelling, and burning, and so forth. Most cutaneous reactions occurred in women (84%), and middle-aged people, after the first dose of vaccine, with the onset ranged from 1 to 21 days after vaccination. In addition, cutaneous reactions were generally self-limiting, and needed little or no therapeutic intervention, that were not regarded as a barrier to injecting a second dose. In conclusion, severe cutaneous side effects are very rare and approved vaccines have satisfactory safety profiles. Therefore, mild or moderate cutaneous reactions should not discourage people from vaccination. In certain groups such as patients with allergies and a history of local injection reactions, pre-vaccination counseling and assurance, also use of appropriate medications may be helpful. However, more studies are needed to investigate the side effect profile of all COVID-19 vaccines.

The effect of PLISSIT based counseling model on sexual function, quality of life, and sexual distress in women surviving breast cancer: a single-group pretest-posttest trial.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer potentially leads to sexual dysfunction and sexual distress in women and negatively affects their quality of life (QoL). This study aimed at determining the effect of PLISSIT based counseling on sexual function, sexual distress, and QoL in women surviving breast cancer. METHODS: In this pre-test, post-test, single-group semi-experimental study, 65 women surviving breast cancer who were referred to the selected centers were included in the study via the available sampling method. Data gathering tools included a researcher-made demographic questionnaire, female sexual function index, beck depression inventory-II, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, World Health Organization QoL-Brief, and Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised. The counseling program (7 sessions 60 min each) was designed based on the PLISSIT model. The sexual function, sexual distress, and QoL were evaluated before, and 2 and 4 weeks after the intervention. To compare the mean scores of variables before and after the intervention, repeated-measured ANOVA was used. RESULTS: The findings showed that PLISSIT based counseling significantly reduced sexual distress and increased the scores of QoL and all its domains, as well as sexual function and all its domains in women surviving breast cancer (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the mean scores of variables 2 and 4 weeks after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that PLISSIT based counseling reduces sexual dysfunction and sexual distress and improves the QoL of women surviving breast cancer. So, it is recommended that these counseling programs be integrated into the health care program of this group of women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: TCTR202103170010, 17 March 2021, Retrospectively registered, at https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/ .

An exploration of factors affecting the quality of life of women with primary ovarian insufficiency: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Menopause before the age of 40 years is known as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). Besides physical effects, being diagnosed with this disorder adversely affects the psychological health and quality of life (QOL). The present study aimed at shedding light on the factors affecting the QOL of women with POI. METHODS: The present study is a qualitative one. The data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 16 women having POI, selected purposively. Data rigor was ensured using Lincoln and Guba's criteria. The recorded data were transcribed verbatim and then analyzed constantly at the same time as gathering the data using conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Three themes emerged regarding the QOL of women with POI, i.e. disease effect (physical and psychological effects), distorted self-concept (threatened identity and disease stigma), and hormone replacement therapy effect (positive and negative physical/psychological effects). CONCLUSIONS: Due to the profound effects of the disease on different aspects of the biopsychosocial health of women with POI, a multifaceted health care approach is recommended to improve their QOL.

Midwives' Educational Needs in Iran: A Narrative Review.

BACKGROUND: Midwives have a major role in the improvement of health indicators in every country. In order for midwives to be able to play their role well, they must have sufficient updated knowledge. For this purpose, it is necessary to review their educational needs. The aim of the present research was to review Iranian studies that have investigated midwives' educational needs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this narrative review, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ProQuest, Ovid, SID, and Magiran databases were searched for the full texts of Iranian studies published in Persian and English languages in the period of 2000-2018. Review, descriptive, and interventional articles consistent with the research aim were included in this study. RESULTS: Of the 53 found articles, 23 articles that were relevant to midwives' educational needs in Iran were investigated. The findings of the studies showed that the educational needs of the midwives can be categorized into the four groups of knowledge and performance, communication skills, occupational rules/regulations, and religious rules. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that midwives in Iran have different educational needs. Because the midwifery practice leads to the promotion of public health, it is imperative that midwives have comprehensive knowledge and the skills necessary for providing optimal care. In order to achieve this, short-term and long-term training programs tailored to the needs of midwives are recommended.

Ananas comosus Effect on Perineal Pain and Wound Healing After Episiotomy: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Ananas comosus has long been used for medical purposes. Currently, we are experiencing an unprecedented interest in the use of complementary medicine as well as a growing attention to traditional products such as bromelain for wound healing and reducing pain. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oral bromelain on perineal pain and wound healing after episiotomy in primiparous women. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, 82 primiparous women fulfilling the inclusion criteria received bromelain or placebo randomly. Participants were given three tablets, three times a day for six successive days. The initial dose was given 2 hours after delivery. Episiotomy pain was measured using VAS scale before the initial dose, as well as on the 1st hour and on the 3rd, 7th and 14th days after the initial dose. Wound healing was measured using REEDA scale on the 3rd, 7th and 14th days after delivery. RESULTS: Episiotomy pain significantly reduced in bromelain group compared with the placebo group (P < 0.05) and wound healing was faster in bromelain group compared with the placebo group (P < 0.05) on follow-up days. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed the effectiveness of bromelain on episiotomy pain and wound healing. Therefore, it is suggested to use bromelain in postoperative stage to improve wound healing and reduce pain.