Background: Menopause is a critical period in the women life which is associated with different neurophysiological and cognitive changes. This study aimed to determine the relationship between menopausal symptoms with metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive - analytical study was conducted on 165 postmenopausal women referred to health centers in Ahvaz. Data collection tools were standardized questionnaire menopausal rating symptoms (MRS), questionnaire to record demographic information and the results of experiments and measurements (blood pressure, Waist circumference). The data were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficients, Mann-Whitny in by SPSS version 19.

Results: The results showed that the overall mean of MRS in this study was 11.85±5.4. The mean of metabolic syndrome was 36±4.8 percent and we found significant association between blood pressure (p=0.04), blood sugar (p=0.02),HDL-C(p=0.02) and urogenital symptoms. But there werent significant relationship between other metabolic syndrome components and other menopausal symptoms (somatic and psychological Dimensions).

Conclusion: The relationship was observed between metabolic syndrome and urogenital symptoms, therefore, as a preventative health strategy women with urogenital complaints should examin for metabolic syndrome.

Background: About 40% of postmenopausal women experience sleep disruption which can affect their quality of life. Various medications were used for managing the sleep disruption. There are some studies on the effectiveness of gabapentin in the management of post menopausal vasomotor symptoms and sleep disruption. The aim of present study was to assess the effect of gabapentin on improving quality of life and sleep of post menopausal women .

Materials and Methods: In this double blind clinical trial, 90 post menopausal women with sleep disruption were selected and randomly divided into two groups for 12 weeks intervention (300 mg gabapentin, twice daily) and control groups. SF36 questionnaire of quality of life and PSQI questionnaire of sleep quality were surveyed and compared before and after the intervention in patients.

Results: The mean age of participants were 52.7 ± 3.14 and 53.4±3.68 years in intervention and placebo groups respectively. There was no significant difference in demographic information and the mean score of SF36 and PSQI questionnaires between groups before the intervention (p>0.05). Significant improvement was seen in score of SF36 and PSQI in gabapentin group after the intervention and in comparison with placebo group (p=0.0001).

Conclusion: According to the results of present study, it seems that gabapentin 300 mg/twice daily for 12 weeks can improve quality of life and sleep of post menopausal women.

Background: Nowadays, the decline in birth rate is one of the most important social problems in developing societies. Infertility is defined as a failure to conceive in a couple trying to reproduce after one year of regular intercourse without contraception. Leptin have been implicated in maintaining normal female reproductive functions, including lactation, folliculogenesis, ovarian steroidogenesis, the maintenance of mammary gland morphology, the development of dominant follicles and oocytes, the maturation of the uterus endometrium, and menstrual cycle regulation. Sinyle-nucleotide polymorphism T>C found in exon 3 leads to substitution of Arg>Trp at codon 1.5 (R105W). In this case-control study, we aimed to evaluate the association of this polymorphism and the risk of female infertility in the population of Guilan.

Materials and Methods: Blood Samples were collected from 86 patients diagnosed with female infertility and 60 control subjects, and genotyped by allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR). To estimate the association between genotype and allele frequencies in cases and controls, Chi-Square analysis was used.

Results: Analysis revealed no significant differences were found in genotype and allele distributions of LEP Arg105Trp between infertility cases and controls (p=0.21, p=0.2) in this population.

Conclusion: Our findings indicated no significant association between the Arg105Trp polymorphism and female infertility risk (p=0.21). While, more studies are needed to confirm the results.

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is one of the most common complaints in women's medicine, in the absence of any pelvic pathological failure. Exercise is commonly reported as a factor to decrease dysmenorrhea symptoms. One of the new therapeutic methods is “Kinesio Taping” which claimed to be able to reduce pain, swelling and muscle spasms. Thus, this study tries to determine and compare the effectiveness of using two therapeutic methods of stretching exercises and taping in painful menstruation of high school students.

Materials and Methods: This study is an operational, quasi-experimental and two- stage study with a control group and pre-test and post-test design. Thirty female high school students with the average age of 16.8±0.99 were selected as available, and were divided into three groups, randomly. For the first group, stretching exercises were carried out and the second group was taped with Kinesio Tape and control group did not any exercise. Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) was used to collect information. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and schober test were used for measuring the level of pain and range of motion, respectively. Data analysis was performed by a repeated measures ANOVA at the significant level of p>0.05.

Results: There was a significant improvement in back and abdomen pain and back range of motion.On the other hand, comparing data after intervention showed a significant difference in pain intensity between two groups. But, no significant difference was notified in increased back range of motion in group with kinesion tape.

Conclusion: Kinesio Taping has better effects than stretching exercises in reducing tesucing pain. Too, Stretching exercise has better effects in increasing back rang of motion.

Background: Episiotomy is one of the most common gynecologic surgery that was done in the second stage of labor, in order to facilitate the delivery. Cutting this area is associated with pain and discomfort. Healing causes pain relief and returning to daily activities became faster. Considering that the high rates of episiotomy infection, we decided to examine the effect of topical cream, saffron 20%, on women who had undergone episiotomy.

Materials and Methods: This randomized, double-blind clinical trial study was performed on 60 primiparous women in 2013-2014 who underwent vaginal delivery and episiotomy at in Taleghani Hospital of Arak. Intervention group recieved 20% topical cream containing saffron extract three times daily for 2 weeks and the control group received a placebo cream. Wound status and its healing were investigated in the first, seventh and fourteenth postpartum.

Results: There was a significant difference between both groups with healing of episiotomy location in seventh(p=0.54) and fourteenth(p=0.003) days and the continuity process of the wound edges in the first (p=0.015), seventh(p=0.013) and fourteenth(p=0.001) days. there was no statistically significant difference about the opening the wound in the first day(p=0.492), There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in seventh(p=0.001) and fourteenth(p=0.026) days.

Conclusion: This study showed that saffron extract cream 20% can be effective for episiotomy wound healing and wound edges continuity.

  Background: One of the factors determining the survival and neonatal health is maternal proper nutrition during pregnancy. The aim of the present study is to determine the maternal nutritional status with a view to the intake of some nutrients and its effect on anthropometric indices of newborn .

  Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical study, 500 pregnant women referred to Sina maternity hospital in Ahvaz were studied. Dietary intake of calcium, zinc, iron, vitamin D was measured and its relation to average weight, length and head circumference at birth in infants was evaluated. Data were analyzed by using Independent T-Test in SPSS 17. P-value less than 5% was considered statistically significant.

  Results: There was a significant correlation between calcium intake rate, weight and length at birth. Between zinc intake rate, weight, length and head circumference at birth, there was a significant correlation. The maternal intake of vitamin D affected on birth weight(p<0/05). But, there was no significant association between iron intake rate and neonatal anthropometric indicators(p>0/05).

  Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the maternal nutritional intake of calcium, zinc and vitamin D influences on some infant anthropometric indicators.

Background: Infertility is a multifactorial disorder with genetic and non-genomic factors. It is estimated that female infertility factors accounts for more than 40%. Estrogen is one of the effective hormons  in fertility. Its crucial actions on target tissues are mediated via binding to estrogen receptors(ESR). The ESR1 gene is located on chromosome 6q25.1 and encodes α estrogen receptor. The aim of this study was to analysis of ESR1 rs104893956 polymorphism in female infertility.

Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, of 60 infertiles and 55 healthy controls, blood samples were attained. After the extraction of genomic DNA from peripheral blood leukocytes, Allele Specific-PCR (AS-PCR) method was applied for determining the codon polymorphism. Statistical analysis was performed using the MedCalc software (Version 12.1).

Results: The frecuency of T allele was significantly higher in patients (58%) than the controls (44%). There was higher frequency of TT genotype of the polymorphism in patients (18.33%) compared with controls (1.8%). Our findings revealed that the patients carrying the TT genotype had a significant increased risk of infertility.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggests that ESR1 rs104893956 polymorphism may affect the increased susceptibility to female infertility in Guilan province. The results may be different in other genetic pools or large-studied population.

Background: Heavy menstrual bleeding has a negative impact on quality of life. In this study, the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of capsella bursa pastoris on menorrhagia is evaluated.
Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was carried out on 90 women with complaint of heavy menstrual bleeding. Samples, after a control cycle of primary bleeding, were randomly divided to capsella bursa pastoris and control groups. Both groups were subjected to mefenamic acid treatment with 500 mg every 8 hours, from the first day to the end of bleeding, up to seven days, for two consecutive cycles. In capsella bursa pastoris group, in addition to mefenamic acid, capsella bursa pastoris capsule 500 mg every12 hours, from the first day to the end of bleeding, up to seven days, was prescribed. In control group, instead of capsella bursa pastoris capsules,it^,s placebo was prescribed with the same order. Data were checked and compared before and after treatment using SPSS software.
Results: The average amount of bleeding reduced in capsella bursa pastoris group from 135.27 in control cycle to 69.13 in third cycle and in control group reduced from 133.91 to 75.44 in third cycle(p<0.001). The average duration of bleeding was reduced in capsella bursa pastoris group from 7.38 in control cycle to 5.40 in third cycle and in control group was reduced from 6.91 to 5.31 in third cycle(p<0.001).
Conclusion: It seems that the extract of capsella bursa pastoris can be effective in reducing the amount and duration of bleeding in women of reproductive age with heavy menstrual bleeding.

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a heterogeneous condition with the prevalence of more than 1% among women of reproductive age, which is defined as the occurrence of more than two miscarriages. Immune-mediators, cytokines, determine the role of immune cells in response to tissue incompatibility conditions. Colony stimulating factor 3 (CSF3) is a cytokine affecting the expression of other cytokines such as IL-4, and suppressing the immune response against semi-allograft embryo. This study was done for the first time on the association of the rs1042658 polymorphism at 3’UTR of the CSF3 gene with the susceptibility to recurrent pregnancy loss, supposing the effect of it on the expression level and stability of the CSF3 gene transcript.

Materials and Methods: 122 RPL women and 140 healthy fertile women as a control group were enrolled in this case-control study. Genotype distribution of the selected polymorphism was evaluated by T-ARMS PCR method and the results were analyzed by logistic regression test.

Results: comparison of the genotypic frequencies in the 3'UTR of the CSF3 gene in patients and controls resulted in the statistically significant difference in the incidence of pregnancy loss in order to the protection effect of the genotypes carrying T allele was observed between two groups (p<0.05). History of the abortion among the relatives of RPL women versus the relatives of controls showed significant differences (p=0.05).

Conclusion: Findings showed significant relationship between rs1042658 polymorphism and the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss, which can affect the susceptibility of the condition.

Background: Childbirth is a stressful event that requires a mental adjustment. Optimism is one of the important determinants of psychological adjustment which is a combination of interest and positive attitude. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of optimism training during pregnancy on attitude and intentions to choose the mode of delivery in nulliparous women.

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial , 64 primipar pregnant women with normal pregnancies, 34-30 weeks, without indication for cesarean section referring to the health centers in Mashhad in 2014 were selected and were randomly divided into two groups , A (trained) and B (no training). Optimism training during 5 session of the 60-minute, with the group participation of participants and active exercises was conducted. Data were analyzed with using the software SPSS and statistical tests including variance analysis, Fischer exact test, willcoxon, Square-Chi and paired t-test.

Results: Average attitude score towards c/s delivery in the study group, before and after training has a significant difference (p<0.001). Average attitude score towards natural childbirth was significantly higher in intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.002). Frequency of intentions to choose the mode of delivery in the study group, before and after training has a significant difference (p<0.033).

Conclusion: Reults showed that optimism training in creating a positive attitude towards natural childbirth and thus reducing the rate of elective c/s delivery is effective.

Background: Adoption has a significant role for strengthening families without children and also resolution of psychological confilicts of unsupervised children. The goal of this study is to assess the psychological status of adoption applicant couples.

Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive- analytic study that is done with cooperation of welfare organization and Arak University of Medical Sciences in 2014. All adoption applicant couples referred to welfare organization for 1 year participated in the study. Data were gathered by using demographic questionnaire and MMPI-II. Data were showed by descriptive statistic and were analyzed by using mean, average and covariance analysis indices.

Results: Mean and standard deviation of all clinical scales and reliability of MMPI-II in all samples and also different subgroups of statistical population were under 65. All applicants had good mental health and psychologically were eligible for adoption. A group of applicants have pretended themselves better than what they are because of the fear of rejection that led to significant difference in k scale(p=0.019).

Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, applicants had good mental health and didn’t have any psychopathologic damage, but sometimes they have pretended themselves better than what they are. Investigation of other diagnostic tools in future studies is recommended.

Background: Hysterectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures. Only after cesarian section, hysterectomys considered as second major surgical procedure. Problems such as severe pelvic pain, irregular or heavy bleeding and uterine cancer are cases that hysterectomy is used to care them. Abdominal pain after abdominal hysterectomy is one of the most common complaints of patients undergoing this type of surgery. This study aimed to compare the effects of bupivacaine into the subcutaneous tissue and skin ketamine to control pain after surgery in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy under general anesthesia.

Materials and Methods: This study is a randomized, double-blind clinical trial involving 99 women candidating for TAH referred to Taleghani center in Arak who were divided into three groups. The average duration of analgesia and pain and pain score were recorded.

Results: The average duration of analgesia in ketamine group, in the bupivacaine group and in the placebo group was 65.1±8.8, 65.4±8.7, and 57.6±5.5, respectively. According to p≤0.01, there was a significant difference between the three groups. The duration of analgesia in the placebo group was significantly lower than ketamine and bupivacaine groups, while that between ketamine and bupivacaine in terms of the average duration of analgesia, no significant difference was observed.

Conclusion: The results of our study indicate that the use of bupivacaine and cutaneous ketamine is effective in reducing postoperative pain in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy and further doses of ketamine and bupivacaine single dose resulted in a significant reduction of postoperative pain in patients compared to the placebo group.

Background: The prediction models for infertility treatment success have presented since 25 years ago. There are scientific principles for designing and applying the prediction models that is also used to predict the success rate of infertility treatment. The purpose of this study is to provide basic principles for designing the model to predic infertility treatment success.

Materials and Methods: In this paper, the principles for developing predictive models are explained and then the design of such models in infertility treatments is described in more details by explaining one sample.

Results: The important principles for models that firstly are described are: identifying and defining the purpose, expected function of model, input data that will be used to develop a model: type of intervention or diagnostic procedures that can lead to changes in the samples and output definition or expected result of model function. Further, characteristics of predictive factors in final model, drawing the information flowchart, internal and external validation and attention to the analysis programme of results are the important subjects that have been described.

Conclusion: If predictive models are used properly, can help treatment team and patients to achive best treatment in ART.

Background: Few studies have examined the effects of calcium plus vitamin D supplementation on metabolic profiles in overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).This study was conducted to determine the effects of calcium plus vitamin D supplementation on metabolic profiles among overweight women with PCOS.

Materials and Methods: This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among 104 overweight and obess women with PCOS. Participants were randomly assigned into four groups to receive: 1) 1000 mg/d calcium+ vitamin D placebo; 2) 50000 IU/weeks vitamin D; 3) 1000 mg calcium/d and 4) calcium placebo + vitamin D placebo for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and after 8 weeks intervention to measure metabolic profiles.

Results: After administrating calcium plus vitamin D supplementation, a significant decrease was observed in serum insulin (-3.3±11.4 vs.-1.1±8.5, -1.4±3.0 and +3.1±6.1 µIU/ml, p=0.03), insulin resistance (-0.7±2.4 vs.-0.3±2.5, -0.2±0.6 and +0.8±1.9, p=0.04), malondialdehyde (-0.6±0.3 vs.-0.1±0.2, -0.5±0.2 and +0.6±0.4 µmol/L, p=0.009) and a significant rise was seen in total antioxidant capacity (+35.2±21.7 vs.+22.5±37.7, +21.1±34.1 and -153.8±65.2 mmol/L, p=0.006) and glutathione (+216.0±79.3 vs.-47.5±60.2, +3.9±31.3 and -160.8±82.9 µmol/L, p=0.001) compared with vitamin D, calcium and placebo groups.

Conclusion: In conclusion, calcium plus vitamin D supplementation for eight weeks among women with PCOS had beneficial effects on metabolic profiles.

Abstract

Background: We are aware of no study evaluating the effects of zinc supplementation on metabolic profiles of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of zinc supplementation on glucose homeostasis parameters in PCOS women.

Materials and Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted among 52 women diagnosed with PCOS and aged 18-40 years old. Participants were randomly divided into two groups to receive 220 mg zinc sulfate (containing 50 mg zinc) supplements (n=26) or placebo (n=26) per day for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention to quantify glucose and insulin.

Results: After 8 weeks of intervention, zinc-supplemented patients had reduced fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (-4.3±9.6 vs. +0.5±6.0 mg/dL, p=0.03), serum insulin (-3.0 ± 2.9 vs. + 1.5 ± 8.4 µIU/ml, p=0.01), serum triglycerides levels (-15.6±40.3 vs. +14.5±25.3 mg/dL, p=0.002) and a significant increase in insulin sensitivity (+0.02±0.02 vs. -0.004±0.05, p=0.03) compared with the placebo.

Conclusion: Taken together, 220 mg zinc sulfate supplementation per day for 8 weeks among PCOS women had beneficial effects on metabolic profiles.

Abstract

Background: Family is the most important component of community and family health leads to spiritual excellence and intellectual growth. One of the debates in current society is to enhance the bases of marital life. More than half of the sexual problems which cause family life and marital relationships abolishment are due to insufficient knowledge or erroneous beliefs about sexual relationships. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of acceptance commitment therapy (ACT)-based premarital counseling on the couples’ sexual function.

Materials and Methods: The study population of this clinical trial consisted of all couples referring to premarital counseling centers of Isfahan in 2015. Sixty couples were selected and then randomly divided into two groups, an experimental group(30 couples) and a control group(30 couples). Then they completed a questionnaire of sexual function. The data were analyzed by SPSS 21 using the Mann-Whitney test.

Conclusion: The results of this study with the aforementioned condition showed the lack of significant difference in the couple’s sexual function between premarital counseling and the approach based on acceptance and commitment. So, it seems that performing a research with more samples and a target group having 1-5 marital experience would be necessary.

Results: The results showed no significant difference between the effect of premarital counseling acceptance and commitment therapy – based approach on the couples’ sexual fanction in comparison with a premarital conventional approach(p>0.02).

Abstract

Background: The efficacy of evening primrose oil has been reported in metabolic syndrome and other diseases.The role of vitamin D has been proposed in the risk reducing of chronic diseases such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes too. We are aware of no study that examined the effects of evening primrose oil and vitamin D supplementation on metabolic profiles in gestational diabetes (GDM). This study was designed to assess the effects of evening primrose oil and vitamin D supplementation on metabolic profiles among pregnant women with GDM.

Materials and Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed among 60 women with GDM. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either evening primrose oil and vitamin D supplements (n=30) or placebo (n=30) for 6 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at study baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention to quantify biochemical variables.

Results: Evening primrose oil and vitamin D supplementation led to a significant decrease in serum high sensitivity-C reactive protein (hs-CRP ) levels (change from baseline: -1.9±4.0 vs. +0.6±2.6 µg/mL, p=0.006) and MDA (-0.8±2.1 vs. +0.6±1.5 µmol/L,p=0.005) compared with placebo. Furthermore, a significant increase in plasma NO (+2.5±3.8 vs. -1.9±8.1 µmol/L, p=0.009) and TAC levels (+84.4±174.8 vs. -36.4±143.1 mmol/L, p=0.005) was seen after evening primrose oil and vitamin D supplementation compared with placebo.

Conclusion: Evening primrose oil and vitamin D supplementation in GDM women had beneficial effects on metabolic profiles.

Abstract

Background: We are aware of no study examining the effects of Soy supplementation on patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Soy supplementation on metabolic profiles in women with PCOS.

Materials and Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among 70 women diagnosed with PCOS. Participants were randomly divided into two groups to receive 50 mg Soy isoflavone supplements (n=35) or placebo (n=35) for 12 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and after a 12-week intervention to quantify related factors.

Results: Intervention group, subjects who received Soy supplements had significantly decreased total serum testosterone levels (-0.2±0.4 vs. +0.1±0.3 ng/mL, p=0.01) compared with the placebo. In addition, a significant rise in plasma glutathione (+96.0±102.2 vs. +22.7±157.8 µmol/L, p=0.04) and a significant decrease in malondialdhyde levels (-0.7±0.8 vs. +0.8±2.3, p=0.001) was observed following the consumption of Soy supplements compared with the placebo.

Conclusion: According to this study, Soy supplementation among PCOS women had beneficial effects on metabolic profiles.