Prevalence and determinants of fear of childbirth among pregnant women in Egypt: A cross-sectional study.

PROBLEM: Fear of childbirth (FOC) is a significant public health concern, and understanding its determinants is crucial for developing effective interventions to support women during pregnancy and childbirth. BACKGROUND: Fear of childbirth (FOC) is increasingly recognized as an essential psychological health concern among pregnant women globally. However, research elucidating the prevalence and multifaceted determinants of FOC in the Egyptian context remains scarce. This knowledge is pivotal to informing maternal health practices. AIM: This study aimed to investigate FOC prevalence and its determinants among pregnant women in Egypt. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 460 low-risk pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in El-Beheira Governorate, Egypt, from February 2023 to July 2023. Data were collected using structured questionnaires on sociodemographic and obstetric profiles, the Childbirth Attitude Questionnaire, the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. RESULTS: The prevalence of FOC ranged from mild to severe, with 70.4% of women displaying some degree of fear and 11.3% exhibiting severe FOC. Key determinants associated with greater FOC were younger age, nulliparity, unplanned pregnancy, negative previous birth experiences, and preference for cesarean delivery. An inverse relationship was found between FOC and childbirth self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals a high FOC prevalence among Egyptian pregnant women, necessitating the need for systematic screening and tailored interventions to mitigate this concern, especially among high-risk groups like young, nulliparous mothers. Fostering childbirth self-efficacy may aid in reducing FOC. These findings can inform the enhancement of holistic maternal health practices in Egypt.

Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on Psychological Distress among Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role of Problem-Solving Appraisal.

Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face considerable psychological distress. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown promise in reducing caregiver burden, but evidence in the Arab world is lacking. Problem-solving appraisal training may optimize CBT's benefits. This study evaluated a tailored CBT program emphasizing the role of problem-solving appraisal in managing distress through the process of CBT. Sixty mothers were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either the CBT intervention group or the control group. The CBT group received 3-month sessions incorporating problem-solving appraisal training within a CBT curriculum from October 2022 to April 2023. Problem-solving techniques are focused on equipping individuals with the skills to identify, approach, and effectively resolve problems, leading to a reduction in stress levels and an improved capacity to cope with difficult situations. All mothers completed assessments of socio-demographics such as age, level of education, marital status, occupation, and adequacy of family income, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI) before and after the program. The CBT group showed significant pre-to-post reductions in depression, anxiety, stress, and general psychological distress compared to controls (all p < 0.05). They also exhibited significant improvements in problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style and personal control (all p < 0.05). The customized CBT program markedly improved psychological well-being for mothers of children with ASD in Egypt. Incorporating problem-solving techniques may optimize CBT's benefits cross-culturally. These findings have implications for the implementation of evidence-based support programs for families impacted by ASD worldwide.

Immunomodulatory effects of bee pollen on doxorubicin-induced bone marrow/spleen immunosuppression in rat.

This study investigated the immunomodulatory effects of Bee Pollen (BP) on Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced bone marrow/spleen suppression in rats. 48 Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 8/group); control, DOX (5 mg/kg), BP (100 mg/kg), BP (200 mg/kg), BP (100 mg/kg) +DOX, and BP (200 mg/kg) +DOX groups. BP was administered orally for 42 days and 5 mg/kg of DOX was injected intravenously at days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42. Hematological parameters, antioxidant enzymes and inflammatory cytokines were measured. Apoptosis-related genes were investigated using Real-Time PCR and western blot. DOX significantly decreased blood cells count, cytokines, and antioxidant enzyme. It also increased the expression of apoptotic genes in spleen and BM. The BP significantly improved hematopoietic function, antioxidant parameters, and serum levels of hematopoietic simulating-cytokines. Also, BP significantly reduced the expression of apoptotic genes. These results confirm the immunomodulatory activity of BP in DOX-induced biochemical, molecular and histological immunosuppression. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Chemotherapy drugs are being developed every day but are limited due to their side effects. The most important side effect of chemotherapy drugs is the suppression of hematopoiesis through its direct effect on bone marrow and hematopoietic cells. Today, many studies are done on natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic compounds to reduce the effects of chemotherapy drugs. Compounds that, along with chemotherapy drugs in the treatment of various tumors, maintain the hematopoietic pathway, synergize the antitumor effects of chemotherapy drugs, and also protect other organs of the body from free radical damage produced by chemotherapy drugs. One of these natural compounds is bee pollen, which has all the properties mentioned in chemotherapy supplements and can be used in the pharmaceutical industry.

Effect of Happiness Counseling on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Women with Recurrent Miscarriage.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effectiveness of a happiness counseling program on depression, anxiety, and stress in pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A parallel randomized controlled trial research design was used in this study, which was conducted at the high-risk inpatient unit of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Cairo University Hospitals in Cairo, Egypt. A total of 60 pregnant women who had previously experienced multiple miscarriages were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups (n=30 each). The tools used for data collection were demographic and obstetric data questionnaires and the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Happiness counseling sessions were conducted for the intervention group. Data for qualitative variables were analyzed with the chi-squared test, and the Student's t test for paired samples was used to compare mean DASS-21 scores of the intervention and control groups. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the association between variables. RESULTS: The happiness counseling sessions reduced depression, anxiety, and stress in women with recurrent miscarriage, resulting in lower mean DASS-21 scores for the intervention group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The happiness counseling program had a positive effect on reducing depression, anxiety, and stress in women with recurrent miscarriage. We recommend that this program be used as an effective, low-cost, and noninvasive intervention to improve the mental health and overall wellbeing of women with recurrent miscarriage.

The effectiveness of assertiveness training program on psychological wellbeing and work engagement among novice psychiatric nurses.

AIM: The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an assertiveness training program on psychological wellbeing and work engagement among novice psychiatric nurses. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental design was utilized (one group pre/post assessment). SETTING: The study was conducted at The Abbasia hospital for mental health in Cairo, Egypt. SUBJECTS: The subjects of the study were 36 novice nurses who were starting their careers the hospital during 2017/2018. TOOLS: The current study used four tools for collecting the data: socio-demographic data sheet, Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, Riff's Psychological Well-Being Scale, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. RESULTS: The study results revealed a statistically significant difference between measure one and measure two intervention program regarding assertiveness skills, psychological well-being, and work engagement. Also, there was a significant positive correlation between the total mean scores of assertiveness skills and total mean scores of psychological well-being. CONCLUSIONS: This single-group feasibility study demonstrated that assertiveness training for novice nurses seems feasible. It may achieve a favorable outcome in developing assertiveness skills and improving psychological wellbeing. RECOMMENDATIONS: Further randomized controlled trials with more extended follow-up periods are required.