Obstetrics & Gynecology
Menstrual Cup Awareness and Future Usage Possibilities of Consumers: A Cross-sectional Study
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that menstrual health be recognized defined and addressed as a health and human rights issue rather than hygiene. The UN has acknowledged menstrual health as a worldwide public health and human rights concern. Poor menstrual health inadequate sanitation facilities and inadequate education are defining characteristics of period poverty.
To assess and compare among different age groups of respondents regarding knowledge and awareness regarding menstrual cup and their future possibilities for usage among women of Delhi India.
A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted between 1st April and 30th May 2022 among the females of Delhi NCR region India.
A total of 339 females participated in our study which included 250 (73.7%) above the age of 20 years whereas 89 (26.3%) were below that age. Most of the respondents were aware of menstrual health products such as menstrual pads -241 (96.40) above 20 years 83 (93.26) below 20 years with [CI-1.03 (0.73 1.46) p-value = 0.85] cotton pads-158 (63.20%) 50 (56.18%) [CI-1.12 (0.75 1.67) p-value = 0.56] tampons-190 (76.00) 61 (68.54) CI- 1.10 (0.76 1.61) p- value = 0.59 and menstrual disc-34 (13.60%) 18 (20.22%) CI-0.67 (0.36 1.25) p-value = 0.21. Among respondents above 20 years of age 83.60% of respondents were aware of menstrual cups. When asked about the biodegradability of the menstrual health product 158 (63.2%) respondents aged above 20 years and 54 (60.67%) respondents aged less than 20 years negated it [CI-1.04 (0.70 1.54) p-value = 0.83].
Our research can help organization policymakers understand that a menstrual cup is an effective alternative to disposable sanitary products.
Unwillingness to have Vaginal Delivery among Iranian Women: A Qualitative Study
Cesarean section imposes a huge social and economic cost on the individual and health care system. Iran is one of the countries that have experienced a significant increase in cesarean section in recent decades. There are few studies on the causes of women's reluctance to give natural birth. This study was conducted to determine the women’s unwillingness to have vaginal delivery through qualitative methods.
The present qualitative study was conducted between March to July 2023 at private and three public centers in Qom City. Purposeful sampling was used and based on inclusion criteria; 17 women were recruited in the study. MAXQDA software was used to analyze and manage the qualitative data.
Three main categories appeared from the data analysis which included individual factors professional factors and social factors. The findings of this study showed that beliefs fear lack of knowledge previous experiences and psychological factors are the most important individual factors that cause unwillingness to give birth vaginally. Factors related to midwives and physicians birth environment social modeling and legal protection affected women’s decision to choose cesarean delivery.
The findings of this study showed that unwillingness to have vaginal delivery by women is an issue that has various reasons. These reasons remind us that education awareness and support in prenatal care should be considered more than ever. In addition treatment systems play a role in increasing cesarean section so it is the responsibility of midwifery and obstetric experts to make improvements in the treatment systems.
Marital Satisfaction in Postpartum Women: The Role of Personality, Body Image Satisfaction, Anxiety, and Sexual Function
The postpartum period is considered a vulnerable and stressful period for many women due to various hormonal physical and psychosocial changes such as adapting to parental rules changes in body and self-image loss of autonomy breastfeeding and taking care of the baby.
This study aimed to test a conceptual model considering the interrelated role of anxiety body image satisfaction sexual function type of personality income and education on women’s marital satisfaction. Also it also aimed to test the mediating role of sexual function and anxiety.
In this cross-sectional study 447 lactating women were recruited from January to April 2019. Women answered some questionnaires including a socio-demographic checklist female sexual function index (FSFI) Body Self-Relation Questionnaire (BSRQ) the Enrich Marital Satisfaction and the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R). Data were analyzed using the descriptive test and Path analysis was done with LISREL software.
Results show that sexual function (β= 0.44) anxiety (β= -0.26) and educational level (β= 0.47) are the main predictors of marital satisfaction (dependent variable). Sexual function and anxiety were two main mediators; variables such as anxiety (β= -0.35) body image satisfaction (β= 0.19) and extraversion personality (β= 0.19) (independent variables) with an effect through sexual function can impress marital satisfaction indirectly.
Identifying relationships between anxiety educational level sexual function anxiety body image and personality with the quality of life of postpartum women highlights the importance of designing interventions to improve marital satisfaction. Given these relationships it is recommended that health professionals educate women about body changes during postpartum and find ways to improve mothers' marital satisfaction.
Perceived Need, Unmet Need for Mental Health Care and Related Factors Among Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Hamadan, Western Iran
There is no reliable data on the perceived need of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for mental services and it is unclear how much of mothers' needs are met in Western Iran.
This study aimed to quantify the perceived need and avoidance/delay for mental health care among mothers of children with ASD and also to elucidate the factors associated with perceived need and avoidance/delay.
This is a cross-sectional study involving all mothers of children with ASD in Hamadan City Western Iran. Socio-demographic characteristics depression anxiety stress as well as perceived need and avoidance/delay and associated factors were obtained using researcher-made and standard validated questionnaires. Penalized logistic regression analysis via data augmentation was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).
In total of 103 mothers approximately 75% and 61% of mothers reported a perceived need and avoiding/delaying needed services during the past 12 months respectively. Psychological stress and lower family income were significant determinants of the perceived need for mental health care. Minimization (OR: 6.06; 95% CI: 1.33-27.68) low perceived treatment effectiveness (4.40; 1.05-18.35) and financial barrier (4.26; 1.01-17.86) were the most important reasons for avoiding/delaying needed services respectively.
The prevalence of perceived needs and unmet needs is high. Effective psychosocial interventions should be provided to reduce the mental health care gap among mothers of children with ASD.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Endometrial Scratching in Follicular and Luteal Phases in Pregnancy Rate of Frozen Embryo Transfer Candidate Women
Endometrial scratching (ES) has been reported as a strategy to improve the outcome of IVF. Considering that the follicular phase and luteal phase have their specific characteristics and hormonal secretions we investigated whether scratching in different phases affects a woman's chances of becoming pregnant following frozen embryo transfer.
A total of 300 frozen embryo transfer candidate women with normal cavities and good embryo quality were randomly divided into two groups: Group A with ES in the follicular phase and group B with ES in the luteal phase. In both groups endometrial scratching was performed before IVF. The rate of pregnancy and baseline characteristics such as age education and embryo quality were compared between the two groups.
Our results showed no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the groups. Furthermore no significant differences were observed between the women who underwent ES in the follicular phase and those in the luteal phase for the outcome of IVF and chemical or clinical pregnancies.
ES in different phases of the cycle preceding frozen embryo transfer did not affect the outcome of pregnancy.
Treatment of Menopausal Symptoms with Herbal Medicines: A Review
Menopause refers to the natural process of the “cessation of the menstrual cycle.” This phase predominantly affects aged women and can lead to various symptoms such as hot flashes insomnia night sweats and sexual dysfunction among others. Unfortunately many women remain unaware of this condition and some even choose to overlook the symptoms. However those who recognize the symptoms consult with a doctor who may recommend Hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Initially Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be effective but prolonged use can result in side effects. To mitigate these effects there is a need to explore and investigate herbal therapies as an alternative treatment for menopausal symptoms.
The objective of this review is to explore and summarize various herbs used in managing menopausal symptoms as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy.
For this review we conducted a literature survey spanning from 1998 to 2023. We used keywords such as menopause endocrinology hormone replacement therapy and herbs used for reducing menopausal symptoms to search databases such as Google Scholar PubMed and SciDirect. Relevant data were sourced from various journals like Plos One JAMA Frontier Drug in Context MDPI Molecules BMC Women's Health Research Gate Heliyon Elsevier Taylor & Francis Nutrients JMM Wiley OXFORD Hindawi Clinical Phytoscience Pharmaceuticals Phytomedicine and Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society.
The literature review encompassed 40 research articles and 200 review articles including randomized controlled trials. The findings revealed that several herbal plants including Curcuma longa Zingiber officinale Foeniculum vulgare Trigonella foenum Actaea racemosa Glycyrrhiza glabra Oenothera biennis Trifolium pratense Humulus lupulus Vitex agnus-castus Valeriana officinalis Linum usitatissimum Cannabis sativa and Asparagus racemosus have shown efficacy in treating menopausal symptoms.
In conclusion medicinal plants can play a significant role in managing acute menopausal syndrome. The intent of this review is to highlight the most recent research on estrogenic plants for medicinal purposes and their therapeutic impact on cognitive deficiencies brought on by estrogen shortage during menopause and aging.
Exploring Women’s Childbirth Experiences in Labor Induction versus Expectant Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Negative childbirth experiences impact the well-being of women and their families. With rising induction of labor (IOL) rates and the inconsistent evidence regarding its impact on childbirth experiences we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the overall effect of IOL versus expectant management on women’s childbirth experiences defined as a woman’s self-assessment of her lasting memories of the childbirth event.
We searched databases (PubMed Embase Cochrane Library Science Direct ProQuest and EBSCO) for RCTs and observational studies from 1970 to September 2023. Inclusion criteria covered women aged 19 and older with live singleton cephalic pregnancies at 37 0/7 until 41 6/7 weeks gestation. Quality was assessed using the Jadad and Newcastle-Ottawa Scales. RevMan 5.4 software and random-effects meta-analysis were used adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
Of the 1.467 screened articles we included nine studies from five European countries. Six studies (2.376 women) used the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ). Overall CEQ scores showed no significant IOL vs. expectant management differences (MD = 0.01 [95% CI -0.06 0.08]; p=0.78; I2 = 65%). Subgroup analyses favored IOL in RCTs (MD = 0.07 [95% CI 0.02 0.13]; p=0.006; I2 = 0%) and studies with ≥500 participants (MD = 0.09 [95% CI 0.02 0.15]; p=0.006; I2 = 0%). Conversely four studies (48.324 women) using the Childbirth Experience Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) favored expectant management (OR = 0.73 [95% CI 0.63 0.85]; p<0.001; I2 = 86%).
VAS assessments suggest a more positive childbirth experience with the expectant management group. Improvements in the IOL process transfer to delivery and pain relief administration may benefit the IOL group. In contrast the overall CEQ scores did not significantly differ between groups. Clinical practice should consider individualized approaches that align with patient needs and medical contexts. Limitations such as variability in study quality and data heterogeneity should be acknowledged.
CRD42023464153
The Childbirth Experience: A Systematic Review on Prenatal and Intrapartum Supportive Interventions
The incidence of challenging delivering experiences varies among societies and is impacted by various factors. The primary goal of this review was to assess the effect of supportive interventions pre- and during delivery on the likelihood of a positive childbirth experience.
This study reviewed articles related to childbirth experience in international databases such as PubMed Cochrane and ScienceDirect. A total of 1433 articles were found using the PRISMA guideline. Review research emphasized the supporting interventions during labor and women's subjective experience. Quality assessment was conducted using the modified Jadad scale.
Overall fifteen studies passed the eligibility criteria. The effective approaches to develop a favorable understanding of the whole birthing process encompassed the following supportive interventions: yoga exercise during pregnancy antenatal hypnosis program continuous supportive care during labor family companion during labor massage during labor therapeutic touch program acupressure during labor birth ball exercise during labor warm showers during the first stage and dancing with music during the active phase of labor.
Various supportive interventions related to childbirth may reduce pain and anxiety build confidence encourage and serve as valuable psychosocial interventions for childbirth. Becoming a mother is not a frequent occurrence for all women contributing to an overall experience in childbirth. Our study recommends interventions such as yoga exercises during pregnancy an antenatal hypnosis program continuous supportive care during labor a family companion during labor massage during labor a therapeutic touch program acupressure during labor birth ball exercise during labor warm showers during the first stage and dancing with music during the active phase of labor.
Menstrual Cycle Characteristics and Relative Factors Among Vietnamese Female Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic
To research menstrual cycle characteristics and related factors among Vietnamese female medical students.
Female medical students juggling demanding academic schedules face the additional challenge of managing the impact of their monthly cycles on daily routines academic achievements and professional obligations.
To investigate the factors influencing the menstrual cycle during this particularly stressful period by surveying these students.
This cross-sectional study was from the 3rd year of female medical students studying full-time.
Individuals in the severe stress group experienced irregular periods in 100% of cases. Dysmenorrhea was the next most prevalent abnormal symptom affecting 39.7% of students. Furthermore abdominal pain and lower back pain were the most common symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The percentage of menorrhagia in the overweight-obesity group was almost 5 times higher than that of the other groups. Besides central obesity increased the incidence of menorrhagia by a factor of 19. Average to high levels of physical activity can increase the risk of having dysmenorrhea. Remarkably students who were affected by COVID-19 in terms of quality of life were also more likely to experience dysmenorrhea.
Although most medical students had normal menstrual cycles abdominal pain and lower back pain were the leading PMS. Moreover overweight-obesity central obesity physical activity stress and the COVID-19 pandemic may be relative factors of the menstrual cycle.
Relationship of Body Composition and PMS Symptoms: A Systematic Review
Aims: Recent studies show that body composition is one of the most important factors in the menstrual cycle. The purpose of this study is to investigate more comprehensively the effect of body composition and anthropometric indicators on the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Materials and Methods: This study is a secondary study that is considered a systematic review according to the implementation method. The statistical population is all the studies that have dealt with the issue of the effect of anthropometric indicators on PMS from different aspects. Results: The final synthesis was performed on 7 articles after screening the studies. The synthesis of articles related to the relationship between anthropometric indicators on PMS showed that 47.8% of women in the world have PMS with the highest prevalence being reported in Iran at 98%. Studies have shown that the incidence of PMS increased appetite and weight gain in women with a BMI greater than 25 kg/m2 is more common. Weight gain causes endocrine disorders that lead secretion of more sex hormones in obese or overweight women which in turn leads to the symptoms of PMS. Studies have shown a direct and significant relationship between PMS symptoms waist circumference (WC) waist-to-height ratio (WTHR) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) which according to the results more central fat mass in women causes more severe symptoms of this syndrome. Also studies showed that the risk of depression and anxiety in women with PMS with a higher BMI and body fat mass is higher. Conclusion: Weight control and improvement of eating habits can be effective in reducing the incidence of PMS symptoms. Furthermore the high prevalence of PMS in studies requires further investigation and principled interventions with regard to physical and mental factors in this period.
The Effect of Preconception Counseling According to the Theory of Planned Behavior with the Presence of the Spouse on Preconception Health Behaviors – A Training Trial Study
Background and Objective: Preconception care consists of biomedical behavioral and social services along with health interventions for women and couples before conception to improve their health status and reduce individual and environmental high-risk behaviors. This study aimed to assess to preconception counseling according to the theory of planned behavior with the presence of the spouse on preconception care behaviors. Materials and Methods: This study was an educational trial. The researcher randomly divided women into two intervention and control groups. The control group only received routine preconception care in the presence of the spouse. The intervention group according to the theory of planned behavior received 60-minute face-to-face counseling weekly sessions. The main outcomes of behavior were divided into two categories: Screening tests and vaccinations and individual lifestyle (exercise nutrition and smoking). The questions also focused on men’s check-up tests. The data normality was analyzed by group variable type and measurement stage using the Shapiro-Wilk test and the skewness and kurtosis results. Levene's and Mochli's tests were used to check the homogeneity of variances and assumption of sphericity respectively. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests chi-square repeated measures test and SPSS 26 software. Result: The previous lifestyle behaviors were respectively 15.22 + 2.836 15.49 + 2.769 and 16.84 + 1.894 before immediately and 4 weeks after the intervention in control and 12.70 + 3.69 15.53 + 3.02 and 16.60 + 2.73 in the intervention group indicating no significant differences (p=0.08). However the two groups significantly increased healthy lifestyles over time (p=0.001). The results also showed that the mean of test and vaccination was respectively 4.44 ± 2.99 2.75 ± 6.42 and 2.49 ± 8.31 before immediately and 4 weeks after the intervention in control and 4.09 + 3 6.74 + 2.87 and 8.35 + 2.37 in the intervention group indicating no significant differences (p=0.99). Conclusion: Since the presence of the husband during the training of women's pre-pregnancy care can affect their health behaviors regardless of the type of intervention men are suggested to attend prepregnancy training and consultations for at least one session.
HELLP Syndrome Developing at 14 Weeks of Gestation: An Extremely Rare Case Report and a Literature Review
Introduction: Hemolysis elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome is a disease of pregnancy that occurs very rarely before 20 weeks of gestation. We report a case of HELLP syndrome developing at 14 weeks and 2 days of gestation. Case Presentation: A 33-year-old Asian primipara at 14 weeks and 2 days of gestation visited the emergency room with a fever and headache. Initial blood pressure was 140/70 mm Hg temperature 38.5°C heart rate 130 beats/min with tachycardia. Her prenatal examination has been unremarkable and fetal ultrasonography was within normal range. The laboratory results showed low platelet count with elevated liver enzymes D-dimer and fibrinogen but no sign of jaundice. Her WBC differential suggested a bacterial infection. Thus we diagnosed early HELLP syndrome and immediately started conservative treatments. One day after admission symptoms and laboratory results showed aggravation of the disease. We performed termination followed by dilation and curettage for retained placenta. Her general condition improved rapidly after the operation. Placental biopsy showed both acute and chronic inflammation. She also had anticardiolipin antibody IgM and after discharge she was referred to a rheumatology specialist to address the antiphospholipid syndrome issue. Discussion: Although the triggers of HELLP syndrome are unclear a recent inflammatory hypothesis suggests that placenta-derived inflammatory cytokines are involved. In our case the anti-cardiolipin antibody may have triggered microangiopathy of the placenta. Our analysis of published HELLP cases revealed that apart from the three diagnostic criteria the most common abnormal laboratory finding was antiphospholipid antibodies. Therefore despite its rarity if a sign of inflammation is present in a patient it is important to consider HELLP syndrome regardless of gestational age.
A Complex Condition; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): A Review of its Recent Advanced Treatment
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder affecting women worldwide. It refers to a condition that often has ‘poly’ liquid containing sacks around ovaries. It affects reproductive-aged females giving rise to menstrual and related reproductive issues. PCOS is marked by hormonal imbalance often resulting in hyperandrogenism. Women with PCOS might experience abnormal insulin activity and complications such as acne mood swings hirsutism obesity and infertility. The disease is linked with severe clinical ailments such as type 2 diabetes (T2DM) cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and cancer. A faulty lifestyle neuroendocrine factors genetic causes and androgen exposures often cause PCOS. The approach of society towards physiological problems such as PCOS in women is that it must be under the veil that is the ultimate barrier to the early diagnosis of PCOS. Thus this review summarizes the causes symptoms pathophysiology diagnosis and possible treatment (medical herbal and lifestyle improvement acupuncture and bariatric surgery) related to PCOS.
Strategies for Promoting Positive Childbirth Experiences: Delphi Approach
Background: The experiences that women gain during childbirth remain with them throughout life. This study aimed to provide strategies to promote positive childbirth experiences. Method: This Delphi study was conducted in three rounds from September to November 2019. A purposively selected 17 national experts including obstetricians reproductive health professionals and midwives participated in this study. Results: Most of the 52 initial strategies in the first round (50 strategies) were approved with a few corrections in the first and second rounds and 23 strategies were presented in the third-round questionnaire; most panelists agreed upon them. Finally they approved 73 strategies with five categories: promoting professional support enhancing control skills encouraging empowerment promoting spouse and other important support and improving childbirth preparation. Conclusion: The Delphi approach allows for developing a consensus that will serve as a template for education practice and future research in maternity care units. Hence multidimensional approaches are required to promote positive childbirth experiences that can potentially improve mothers’ well-being outcomes.
Premenstrual Syndrome: An Overview of the Review Analysis, and Potential Role of Herbal and Dietary Supplements
A premenstrual syndrome is a group of regular physiological mental emotional and behavioral symptoms that appear periodically in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and they vanish quickly with the beginning of menstruation or a few days afterward. Thus severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects 5–8% of women; the majority of these individuals also match the factors for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Premenstrual syndrome typically includes physical problems like headache tiredness indigestion insomnia nausea and breast tenderness as well as symptoms associated with emotions (mood swings anxiousness and aggressiveness). Although the true mechanism of PMS is unknown a number of theories point to increased sensitivity to typical hormonal changes and imbalances in neurotransmitters. A multidisciplinary team using an integrative holistic approach in the direction of an individualized strategy gradually manages PMS. The first phase entails educating women about PMS self-screening herbs like St John’s Wort chaste berry saffron; Ginkgo biloba; chamomile evening primrose turmeric and so on various nutrition supplements as Vitamin B6; calcium; magnesium and lifestyle adjustments like dietary modifications; exercise; yoga; sleep hygiene. The second step involves implementing various relaxation therapies cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) stress reduction techniques and acupuncture. The available treatment as various drugs like SSRIs; serotonergic antidepressants; anxiolytics and hormonal therapy that are used currently to treat PMS exhibits unwanted side effects. Therefore this issue and other similar gynecological conditions have been discussed and managed with herbal medicines and other natural solutions in this comprehensive piece of work.
Contribution of Pelvic Ultrasonography in Perimenopausal Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Background: About 70% of gynecological consultations for women in perimenopause are due to metrorrhagia. In most cases they are only the witness of hormonal disturbances resulting from a luteal deficiency. Transvaginal ultrasound is the first innocuous and available additional examination that is requested as part of an etiological assessment. Objective: Our study aims to evaluate the contribution of ultrasonography in perimenopausal metrorrhagia and investigate possible clinical-ultrasound correlation. Methods: This analytical descriptive study was carried out on 50 treated for perimenopausal metrorrhagia in the emergency department of the Tunis Maternity and Neonatology Center for four months (November 1 2017 to February 28 2018). We included in our study patients who were not yet postmenopausal who were ≥ 45 years of age and who sought care for breakthrough bleeding. All patients in our study initially underwent endovaginal ultrasonography sometimes coupled with suprapubic ultrasonography. Results: The mean age of our patients was 46.3 years. Pelvic ultrasonography revealed an enlarged uterus in 16 patients (32%) with 14 of them having fibromatous uteri measuring between 3 to 10 centimeters. The findings indicate no significant correlation between ultrasound results and bleeding abundance (P = 0.321) pelvic pain (P = 0.108) and general condition (P = 0.437). Conclusion: Endovaginal pelvic ultrasonography is a quick painless test and is the first test to be done first in an emergency department with perimenopausal vaginal bleeding. The correlation between clinical and ultrasound findings is highly random making it impossible to assume a well-- coded diagnostic and therapeutic presumption.
The Length of Xiphoid to Fundus as a Measure of Labor Progress: A Cross-sectional Study
Background: Vaginal examination is widely recognized as the most common method for monitoring labor progress. However researchers are currently exploring alternative methods which are potentially less invasive or aggressive to assess labor progress. Objective: This study aimed to assess the correlation between the length of the xiphoid to the fundus and the cervical dilation in the active phase of labor. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 pregnant women in Varamin Iran. The participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a researcher- made questionnaire that included specific items regarding demographic characteristics health status and a checklist to record the results of examinations and labor progress. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics correlation tests and multiple linear regression with SPSS 22 software. The significance level was considered to be p <0.05. Results: A total of 174 eligible women participated in the study with a mean age of 25.90 ± 4.56 years (mean ± SD) and a mean gestational age of 39.71 ± 1.03 weeks. There was a significant negative correlation between the length of the xiphoid to the fundus and cervical dilatation (p = 0.0001 r = -0.568). Conclusions: The study revealed a significant negative correlation between the length of the xiphoid to the fundus and the cervical dilation. Therefore the xiphoid to fundus measurement can serve as an alternative and complementary examination in cases that need frequent vaginal examinations.
An Exquisite Analysis on the Significance of Nutrient Supplementation in the Holistic Management of Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome
The complex heterogeneous disorder known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) includes endocrine reproductive metabolic psychological and other pathological aspects. Yet nothing is understood regarding the cause of PCOS. Insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism are major contributors to the pathophysiology of PCOS according to various studies. Because of this a lot of PCOS treatment regimens include changing a person's lifestyle through practices like exercise nutrition and vitamin supplementation. Recent studies have indicated a number of nutrients including vitamins minerals and vitamin-like substances for the therapy of PCOS since they all have at least one functional characteristic in the pathways that are affected by PCOS. As a result it is claimed that PCOS may be caused by a vitamin or mineral deficiency. It is the goal of this review to conduct a critical literature analysis on nutritional supplementation for the management of PCOS.
Spousal Postpartum Social Support and Association with Sexual Function and Sexual Quality of Life among Breastfeeding Women
Background: The present study investigated the relationship between spousal support during postpartum period and the sexual function and sexual quality of life among lactating women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from October to March 2021 comprising 301 breastfeeding women referred to comprehensive health centers in Qazvin Iran. The sampling method was performed in two stages. First via cluster sampling ten comprehensive health centers were randomly selected. Then based on the list of lactating mothers 31 mothers in each center were randomly selected and invited to complete the survey. The survey included three psychometric instruments (i.e. Postpartum Partner Support Scale (PPSS) Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Sexual Quality of Life-Female version (SQoL-F)) as well as a reproductive and demographic information questionnaire. The findings were analyzed using univariable and multivariable regression models at a significance level of p<0.05. Results: The participants had a mean age of 30.33 years and a mean length of marriage of 7.99 years. A total of 219 women were exclusively breastfeeding (72.8%) and 82 used a combination of breastfeeding and formula milk to feed their infants (27.2%). The mean (standard deviation) scores in the postpartum period were 61.34 out of 80 (SD=11.41) on the PPSS 86.52 out of 108 (SD=19.68) on the SQoL-F and 22.78 out of 36 (SD=6.20) on the FSFI. Based on adjusted multivariable regression models spousal support in the postpartum period was a significant predictor of sexual quality of life (β=0.39 p<0.001) but not a significant predictor of sexual function. Sexual quality of life was a significant predictor of sexual function (β=0.44 p<0.001). Conclusion: Given the importance of spousal support during the postpartum period in relation to sexual quality of life and sexual function designing and implementing counseling programs based on the role of spousal support during postpartum sexual life would be helpful.