Development and psychometric evaluation of the sexual satisfaction questionnaire for postmenopausal women (PWSSQ): an exploratory mixed method study protocol.

BACKGROUND: The concept of sexual satisfaction in menopausal women is very different from that in premenopausal women, and this difference is due to aging and physical, hormonal, cultural, and psychological changes. Therefore, the first step in discovering methods for assessing sexual satisfaction in postmenopausal women is to develop a measurement instrument. This study was conducted to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a sexual satisfaction instrument for postmenopausal women. METHODS: The current study is an exploratory-sequential mixed-methods research project that will be divided into two parts: qualitative and quantitative. Aligned with the primary objective of the research, which is to elucidate the concept of sexual satisfaction in postmenopausal women, the hybrid concept analysis model developed by Schwartz and Kim will be employed. This model comprises three key phases: the theoretical phase, the fieldwork phase, and the final analytical phase. Those who met the inclusion criteria and exhibited maximum variance in terms of age, educational level, employment status, and menopausal duration were recruited. The conventional content analysis will be carried out following the steps proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Second, in the quantitative phase, the psychometric properties of the instrument were evaluated, including the content, face and construct validity and reliability via internal consistency and stability. The psychometric properties described in the COSMIN checklist will be utilized for designing the instrument. DISCUSSION: A valid and reliable scale for evaluating the sexual satisfaction of postmenopausal women should be developed, and educational content should be designed to improve the sexual satisfaction of this group of women.

Menopause is a natural event that is accompanied by numerous physical and psychological changes that create a complex period in the life of postmenopausal women. Sexual satisfaction is a component related to human sexuality and is known as the last stage of the sexual response cycle. Sexual satisfaction is defined as the emotional response resulting from the mental evaluation of positive and negative things in a sexual relationship. Sexual satisfaction is one of the important factors of satisfaction in married life. People who have sexual satisfaction have a significantly better quality of life than those who do not have sexual satisfaction. The concept of sexual satisfaction in menopausal women is very different from that in premenopausal women, and this difference is due to aging and physical, hormonal, cultural, and psychological changes. Sexual satisfaction is important for researchers for two reasons. First, sexual satisfaction provides a mechanism through which to assess a relationship partner's performance. Second, sexual satisfaction is a predictor of other aspects of the relationship, such as marital quality and stability. To discuss feelings and discover methods for achieving sexual satisfaction in postmenopausal women, it is necessary to understand the factors affecting sexual satisfaction and dissatisfaction in this group. The existing tools in the field of women's sexual satisfaction are not designed for this age group (menopausal women) and do not have the necessary comprehensiveness and adequacy to assess sexual satisfaction in menopausal women. Therefore, this study will be conducted to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the sexual satisfaction of postmenopausal women.

Effect of fennel on primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: One of the most common complaints for women is dysmenorrhea. Several studies investigated the treatment effects of medicinal plants on primary dysmenorrhea. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the effect of Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) on pain in primary dysmenorrhea in comparison to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as mefenamic acid. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane library, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Science Direct, ProQuest, ISI Web of Science, Google Scholar, Magiran, SID, Iran Medex, and Irandoc were searched up to January 2019. Quality assessment of clinical trials was conducted using Jadad scoring system. Totally, 12 studies were entered in the meta-analysis. I 2 was calculated to determine heterogeneity. Fixed effects and/or random effects models were applied. RESULTS: Meta-analysis of these trials showed that F. vulgare intake decreased significantly the intensity of dysmenorrhea compared to the placebo (SMD -0.632; CI: -0.827 to -0.436; p<0.001; heterogeneity p=0.807; I 2=0%; fixed effect model; seven articles). However, the effect of Mefenamic acid with F. vulgare was not different from each other (SMD=-0.214; CI: -0.446 to 0.017; p=0.07; heterogeneity p=0.58; I 2=0%; fixed effect model; six trials). CONCLUSION: The F. vulgare alleviates dysmenorrhea. Regarding the same effect of F. vulgare with NSAIDs, it is highly recommend to the women suffered from dysmenorrhea specifically the ones who have high tendency toward herbal medicine.

The Effect of Zizyphus Jujube Fruit Lotion on Breast Fissure in Breastfeeding Women.

Nipple fissure is a common problem during breastfeeding. Zizyphus Jujube Fruits is one of the oldest medicinal plants which can heal wounds through its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to determine the effect of jujube lotion on the recovery of breast fissure. This double-blind clinical trial recruited 100 primiparous lactating women who were randomly divided into two groups. In Jujube group, mothers used 0.5 mL of Fruit Lotion, and in control group mothers applied 4-5 drops of their breast milk five times a day, after breastfeeding. Both groups were examined on the 7th and 14th days after childbirth. The damage severity was assessed using the Amir scale and the presence or absence of nipple discharge was recorded. A significant difference was observed between the two groups in the extent of nipple damage before intervention on the 3rd day after childbirth and after intervention on the 7th and 14th days after childbirth (P = 0/02، P = 0/000). No significant difference was observed in sore nipple discharge between the two groups before the study and on the 7th day, while a statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups on the 14th day (P = 0/1, P = 0/01). The finding of this study revealed that the Zizyphus jujube fruits lotion heals nipple fissure faster and better than breast milk.

The effect of green tea ointment on episiotomy pain and wound healing in primiparous women: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

The delayed healing of episiotomy wound and its associated pain is a major problem in obstetrics. Because green tea has analgesic and wound-healing properties, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of green tea ointment on episiotomy pain and wound-healing. The green tea extract was also standardized by measuring its Phenolic and flavonoid compounds, antioxidant activity, and one of its active components, that is, Epigallocatechin gallate. The present clinical trial was conducted on 99 primiparous women visiting Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman in 2015. The subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups, including a green tea ointment group, a placebo ointment group, and a routine care group. The 2 ointment groups smeared 2 cm of the green tea or placebo ointments onto their sutured area twice daily for a total of 10 days. The severity of pain was assessed in the subjects using the visual pain scale and wound-healing using the Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, Approximation (REEDA) scale before the intervention and on the 5th and 10th days after delivery. To standardize the extract, Epigallocatechin gallate was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phenolic and flavonoid compounds, as well as antioxidant activity of the extract were also determined by spectrometry methods. Before the intervention, no significant differences were observed between the 3 groups in terms of their personal and obstetric details (p > .05), the severity of pain (p = .118), and the REEDA score (p = .212). On the 5th and 10th days after delivery, the severity of pain was significantly lower in the green tea group than in the other 2 groups (p < .0001). The mean REEDA score on the 5th and 10th days showed a better and faster healing in the green tea group compared to the other 2 groups (p < .0001). Total content of phenolic and flavonoids contents of green tea were 74.2 mg/g Gallic acid equivalent and 16.3 mg/g Rutin equivalent, respectively, and its antioxidant capacity was 46% of b-carotene. Green tea ointment appears to be effective in relieving episiotomy pain and improving wound-healing in this study. Further studies are recommended to be conducted on the effectiveness and safety of the different doses of green tea ointment.