Effect of emotional freedom technique on the fear of childbirth in Iranian primiparous women: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Fear of childbirth is one of the main causes of women's emotional difficulty experienced in the perinatal period, especially those having their first child. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of emotional freedom technique (EFT) on the fear of childbirth among primiparous women in Ahvaz, Iran. Materials and methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 116 primiparous women. The participants were randomly divided into intervention (n = 58) or control (n = 58) groups. The intervention group received daily stimulation of certain points in their body for 12 weeks using EFT. The fear of childbirth was measured at the beginning of the study and 12 weeks after the intervention using the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (WDEQ-A) and at the first postpartum visit with WDEQ-B. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, paired t-test, Chi-square or Fisher's exact test, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: After intervention, the mean score of fear of childbirth in the intervention group decreased from 49.39 ± 8.21 to 40.42 ± 13.43 (p < 0.0001), while the same rate in the control group increased from 49.47 ± 9.06 to 52.09 ± 7.73 (p = 0.002). The mean score of fear of childbirth after delivery in the control group (45.88 ± 7.10) was higher than that in the intervention group (27.13 ± 5.08) (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, EFT can be considered as an effective method to reduce the fear of childbirth score in primiparous women.

Effect of Trigonella foenum (fenugreek) vaginal cream on vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Menopause forms one-third of women's lives. During this period, many women continue their sexual activities. One of the most prevalent postmenopausal complications is vaginal atrophy whose symptoms could have destructive effects on the life quality among postmenopausal women. Complications of using estrogen hormone to improve these symptoms are inevitable. One of the objectives of the present study is the assessment of the vaginal cream of Fenugreek on vaginal inflammation of atrophic vaginitis in postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For assessment of the effect of fenugreek vaginal cream among postmenopausal women who suffer from vaginal atrophy, the present study was carried out in the form of a double-blind clinical trial among sixty postmenopausal women, mainly who had been referred to Health Center 1 located in the east of Ahvaz in 2017. All participants of the present study who were diagnosed with vaginal atrophy were assigned into two groups of 30 randomly. One of these groups received placebo and the other one fenugreek 5% vaginal cream for a period of 8 weeks. Symptoms related to vaginal atrophy were investigated by means of a 4-degree scale (none, mild, moderate, and severe) and maturation vaginal index (MVI) through preparing the vaginal smears technique at baseline and a period of 8 weeks after cytology and intervention experiment. Finally, the process of analyzing statistical data, at a statistical significance level of 0.05, was carried out by means of SPSS Software. RESULTS: The results of the present study demonstrated that the fenugreek vaginal cream treatment group experienced a significant improvement in vaginal atrophy symptoms compared to the onset of the study (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Fenugreek vaginal cream was effective in treating vaginal atrophy; therefore, postmenopausal women are recommended to use this cream instead of synthetic estrogen to reduce the complications of this hormone.

Effects of a short-term mindfulness-based stress reduction program on the quality of life of women with infertility: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although some programs based on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) have been suggested to promote quality of life (QoL) in different conditions, limited studies have addressed their potential effects in women with infertility. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of an MBSR program on the QoL of women with infertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 36 women with infertility, who were selected by consecutive sampling from the Infertility Center of Ahvaz Imam Khomeini Hospital, Iran. Women either participated in the MBSR program or received routine consultation in eight two-hour group sessions once a week. Women's QoL was measured using the 36-item short-form health survey before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention. The intention-to-treat analysis, with multiple imputation for missing data, was also performed. RESULTS: The mean changes in the total score of QoL and its subscales (except for "social functioning" and "bodily pain") were significant compared to the baseline both at immediately after and one month after the intervention in favor of the experimental group (P<0.001 in most cases). Twenty four and six adverse events were recorded in the experimental and control groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Short-term MBSR program seem to be potentially effective in improving the QoL of women with infertility. Further studies are needed to determine the generalizability of our findings.

Do Sleeping Disorders Impair Sexual Function in Married Iranian Women of Reproductive Age? Results from a Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sleep quality and sexual function among Iranian women. METHODS: This study was conducted on 277 married women of reproductive age. The inclusion criteria were as follows: married women aged 18-45 years, with at least basic literacy, and women married monogamously for at least one year. The following tools were used for gathering data: a demographic questionnaire; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); Insomnia Severity Index (ISI); Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS); and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Pearson correlation coefficients, independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and linear regression analyses were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: There was a significant inverse relation between poor sleep quality (r = -0.13, P = 0.02), daytime sleepiness (r = -0.39, P < 0.001), insomnia (r = -0.35, P < 0.001), and sexual function. Sexual desire was significantly related to sleep quality and insomnia (P < 0.001). Sexual arousal (r = -0.18, r = -0.29, P < 0.001), lubrication (r = -0.21, r = -0.3, -0.12, P < 0.001), orgasms (r = 0.17, r = -0.15, P < 0.001), and sexual satisfaction (r = -0.02, -r = 0.3, r = -0.15, P < 0.001) were significantly related to all types of sleep disorders (poor sleep quality, insomnia, and sleepiness). Pain during intercourse was significantly associated with poor sleep quality and insomnia. With each unit decrease in sleep quality, sexual function decreased by 0.49 (P < 0.001), and with each unit increase in the delay of sleep onset, sexual function decreased by 1.58 (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Results of this study showed that there was a significant relationship between sleep quality and sexual function in Iranian women of reproductive age. The quality of sleep among reproductive-aged women merits the attention of health care providers and policy makers.

The relationship of fat soluble antioxidants with gestational diabetes in Iran: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of fat soluble antioxidants (retinol and α-tocopherol) with gestational diabetes (GDM). METHODS: This was a case-control study in which 41 pregnant women with GDM and 41 healthy women were recruited. The inclusion criteria were gestational age ≥32 weeks, singleton foetus, nulliparous or parous women up to four pregnancies and normal fasting blood sugar in the early pregnancy. Two groups were matched regarding age, gestational age and body mass index. A 5 ml venous blood sample were drawn and analysed with the chromatograph for measuring retinol and α-tocopherol. Data were analysed through Chi-square and t test. RESULTS: The mean serum retinol of the GDM group was 0.46 µg/dl and in the control group it was 0.59 mg/dl (p = 0.01).The mean α-tocopherol in the women with GDM was 6.21 mg/dl and in the control group it was 6.92 mg/dl (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The level of retinol in the diabetic pregnant women was significantly lower than that in the control group. This reduction may be due to the reduced antioxidant defences in women with GDM.