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Introduction: Preclampsia is a pregnancy-specific condition characterized by hypertention, proteinuria and generalized edema. The condition usually occurs in the third trimester and word wide is one of the most common causes of maternal mortality and morbidity. No study concerning the immunological etiology and pathogenesis of preclampsia has been done in Iran. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of some immunological factors involved in the pathogenesis of preclampsia.
Materials and methods: This research was a clinical trial study. We measured C3, C4, IgG, IgA and IgM levels in 20 women with preclampsia, 20 normal pregnant women and 20 non-pregnant women matched for age, BMI, parity and gestational age. Seven patients had developed severe and thirteen mild preclampsia. After written informed consent was obtained, blood samples of subject group.
Collected serum collected was analyzed for immunological parameters by the single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) method of Mancini.
Results: C4 level was significantly decreased in women with severe preclampsia than in women with mild preclampsia and normal pregnancies, whereas C3 level did not differ between groups. IgG concentration was significantly higher in non-pregnant women than in women with preclampsia and normal pregnancies. There was a significant decrease in IgA concentration in normal pregnant women compared with non-pregnant women. There was a not significant difference between the IgM concentrations of both groups.
Conclusion: Our data show several changes in immunological factors in preclampsia which may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disorder in Iranian women.

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Background: There is inconsistent evidence indicating that serum Zn deficiency in pregnant women may adversely affect fetal growth. In order to survey this matter in Iran, a study was conducted with the aim of determining the association between serum Zn in pregnant women of Kashan and anthropometric factors of their neonates in 2008-2009. Materials and Methods: In this eross-secrional study, of all the pregnant women referring to Naghavi Polyclinic of Kashan University of Medical Sciences, 128 women and their neonates were selected. Serum Zn concentration in 6-9 month pregnant women and anthropometric factors of their neonates (weight, height, and head circumference) were measured. Then the relationship between the prevalence of Zn deficiency and the neonates’ anthropometric factors was reported. T-test and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results: Mean weight and height of the infants whose mothers had low serum Zn concentration (below normal) were 130.1g and 0.6 cm less than the infants whose mothers had high Zn concentrations. A significant positive correlation was found between birth size height of the neonates and serum Zn concentration of the mothers (P=0.02). Conclusion: The results suggest that maternal serum zinc level affects neonates’ height.

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Background: Nutritional status assessment is a method for nutritional care which aims to determine nutritional needs and to meet nutritional requirements. Pregnant and lactating mothers are considered vulnerable groups. The use of this method, especially for determination of calorie and protein intake has positive effects on growth of neonates. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess the nutritional status of pregnant women.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 80 pregnant mothers were selected from private and public hospitals in Arak. Data were gathered through a questionnaire including general information concerning pregnant mothers and their nutritional diet. The analysis of dietary intake was done by nutritionist IV software. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

Results: The average weight gain for pregnant mothers at the end of pregnancy was 10.1kg. The mean of body mass index for the mothers was 22.2 kg/m2, and the average weight for neonates was 2.5 kg. The average energy intakes in mothers were equal compared with RDA, and the average protein intake was greater compared with RDA. There was a significant positive correlation between weight gain during and total body weight at the end of pregnancy (r=0.93) (p<0.01). Also, there was a significant negative correlation between weight of pre pregnancy and percent of weight gain at the end of pregnancy (r=-0.39) (p<0. 01). A significant positive correlation was found between total body weight at the end of pregnancy and birth weight of neonates (r=0.34) (p<0. 01).

Conclusion: Adequate nutritional status of mothers influenced normal body weight in neonates.

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Background: There is priority for evaluation of micronutrients (vitamin A) in the world, especially in develpoing countries like Iran. Vitamin A has an essentiall role in growth, reproduction, and maintenace of epithelial cells. Vitamin A, especially retinoic acid,  acts like a hormone for gene expression. Vitamin A is necessary for growth of bones and immune system. The role of vitamin A in reducing mortality rates of neonates is well recognized. The aim of research is to evaluate this micronutrient (vitamin A) and the rate of transportation from mother to fetus and its positive effects on birth weight.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 90 pregnant mothers were selected from private and public hospitals in Arak. Data were gathered through a questionnaire including general information concerning pregnant mothers and also their nutritional diet. The analysis of dietary intake was done by Nutritionist IV software. The measurements of serum and cord blood retinol samples were carried with reverse phase HPLC. Data analysis was done by Pearson correlation.

Results: The results indicated a positive and significant correlation between cord blood retinol of mothers and birth weight of neonates (r=0.22) (p&ge0.05). There was not a significant correlation between serum retinol of the mothers and birth weight of the neonates. Also, there was no significant correlation between retinol intakes of the mothers and birth weight of the neonates.

Conclusion: Improvement of the retinol status of mothers has an effective role in normal birth weight of neonates.

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Background: Today, environmental pollutants are one of the most important human problems. The purpose of this study was to assess the health belief model structures for promotion of preventive behaviors in pregnant women exposed to air pollution in Arak city in 2014.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 208 pregnant women referred to healthcare centers in Arak city were selected by multistage sampling and were studied. Data were collected by using a valid and reliable self- report questionnaire. The questionnaire included the demographic characteristics of the mother, the aspects of the HBM model, and the maternal practice checklist. Finally, the data were analyzed.

Results: The mean age of subjects was 26.48 ±4.77 and the mean gestational age was 14.88 ±5.59 weeks. The highest level of education for pregnant women (47.1%) was a diploma. The mean practice score was 72.9 and among the structures, the highest and the lowest score was obtained for perceived susceptibility(83.25) and barriers(59.16), respectively. To predict the hehavior by using the HBM structures, regression analysis showed that of the studied variables, the external practice guides, perceived susceptibililty, and barriers are as behavior predictive predictive agents that totally, predicted 26% (R2=0.265) of behavior changes.

Conclusion: According to the results of the study, the design of educational interventions should be based on the external practice guides, perceived susceptibility and barriers structures as the most important predictors of maternal behavior.

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Introduction: The process of the first pregnancy causes a decrease in resilience and fear of pain, which requires interventions to solve these problems. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of group therapy spirituality on endurance and pain control in primiparous pregnant women.
Methods: The research method was semi-experimental, pre-test, and post-test with a control group. The statistical population of this study included all pregnant women who gave birth in 2022 in the city of Kerman, 30 people (15 people in the experimental group and 15 people in the control group) were selected by the available sampling method. The data collection tools were the pain disability questionnaires of Mold and the resilience questionnaires of Connor and Davidson. A group spiritual therapy intervention was performed on the experimental group, and the control group did not receive any intervention. Data analysis was done with descriptive tests (mean and standard deviation) and covariance analysis. A P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: In the resilience variable, the mean and standard deviation of the experimental group in the pre-test was 41.27 ± 7.22 and the post-test 63.18 ± 8.69. In the pain control variable, the mean and standard deviation of the group in the pre-test was 35.73 ± 6.28, and the post-test was 21.40 ± 5.44. The results showed that group therapy spirituality had an effect on endurance and pain control in primiparous pregnant women (P < 0.01).
Conclusions: Based on the findings of the research, group therapy spirituality can be used to increase endurance and control pain in primiparous pregnant women.