Concerns of Women of Reproductive Age with Multiple Sclerosis: A Qualitative Study

AbstractIntroduction: Psychological disorders are the leading cause of disabilities, socialharms, and reduced quality of life in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Thisqualitative study was conducted to describe the concerns of females with MS.Methods: In this qualitative study, 16 females with MS at the reproductive agewith medical records at the MS Society of Tabriz were selected using the purposivesampling technique and underwent semi-structured in-depth individual interviews.All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using conventional contentanalysis.Results: In this study, 23 codes were identified from transcribed interviews andcategorized to two sub-categories, fears and feelings. These two sub-categories formedthe main category, named concerns.Conclusions: Regarding concerns of these patients, their regular health monitoring byphysicians and healthcare providers is recommended in an attempt to alleviate theseconcerns

The effect of foot reflexology on constipation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Context: Constipation is a prevalent symptom of gastrointestinal disorders, which has an annoying impact on health and qualityof life. On the other hand, reflexology is a popular type of complementary and alternative medicine in medical practices.Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the effect of foot reflexology on constipation symptoms.Methods: Nine databases were systematically searched to detect relevant Randomized Clinical Trials. The current used the CochraneRisk of Bias tool to evaluate the methodological quality of the included articles. The primary outcome was the improvement ofconstipation symptoms. The Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) was measured, and random effects were reported instead of thefixed effects due to the high heterogeneity.Results: Out of the 693 articles retrieved from the databases and eight additional records identified through other sources, 496titles, 48 abstracts, and 16 full-texts were reviewed, and 11 articles were included in this study, out of which nine articles entered themeta-analysis. The findings of the meta-analysis indicated that foot reflexology had a significant effect on the constipation score(SMD: -0.82; 95% CI: -1.47 to -0.17; P value = 0.0001; I2= 93%)Conclusions: Foot reflexology can effectively improve constipation symptoms; however, clinical trials with better designs are recommended

The Effect of Short-term Foot Reflexology in Improving Constipation Symptoms During Pregnancy: A Two-armed, Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives: Reflexology is a popular type of complementary medicine in medical practices, especially in midwifery fields. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled trial aimed to determine the effect of foot reflexology on idiopathic constipation symptoms, as well as anxiety and fetal activity during pregnancy. This study was conducted on seventy-four nulliparous women with constipation, referring to private and public health care centers in Tabriz-Iran, between 2017 and 2018. The participants were then randomly assigned to foot reflexology or control groups. The intervention group underwent 12 minutes of weekly foot reflexology treatment for 6 weeks. Constipation symptoms were measured at baseline and 6 times (weekly) after the intervention by the Constipation Assessment Scale (CAS). In addition, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire was used to measure the participant’s anxiety at baseline and 6 weeks after the completion of the study. Finally, fetal movements were measured at baseline and 6 times (weekly) after the intervention using a kick chart. Results: Based on the results, 97% of women reported improvement in their CAS measures at the end of six weeks following reflexology. The mean scores of STAI at the end of the intervention were 38.5 and 42.2 (State anxiety), as well as 39.1 and 40.2 (Trait anxiety) in the reflexology and control groups, respectively. Statistically significant differences in fetal movements between the two groups were only observed in the fourth (P = 0.001) and fifth weeks (P = 0.007) after intervention sessions. The results further indicated that about 67% of mothers were satisfied with reflexology intervention for improvement in their constipation symptoms. Eventually, no harmful side events were reported among women. Conclusions: Short-term foot reflexology in this context may have potential healing benefits in improving constipation and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy. However, further investigation for antenatal reflexology is necessary.</p

Respectful maternity care and its relationship with childbirth experience in Iranian women: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Intrapartum respectful maternity care is defined as a fundamental human right that can affect the mother\u27s experiences. This study aimed to determine the status of respectful maternity care and its relationship with childbirth experience among Iranian women. METHODS: This prospective cohort study recruited 334 postpartum women in postpartum wards of two public and four private hospitals in Tabriz, Iran. Quota sampling was used based on the number of births in each hospital. Data were collected through interviews with the use of the following tools: sociodemographic and obstetrics characteristics questionnaire, respectful maternity care scale (6 to 18 h postpartum), and childbirth experience questionnaire (30 to 45 days postpartum). The General Linear Model was used to determine the relationship between respectful maternity care and childbirth experience. RESULTS: The mean respectful maternity care score was 62.58 with a range of 15 to 75, and the total childbirth experience score was 3.29 with a range of 1 to 4. After adjusting for sociodemographic and obstetrics characteristics, a statistically significant direct correlation was found between respectful maternity care and a positive childbirth experience (P \u3c 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings reveals a direct relationship between respectful maternity care and positive childbirth experience. Therefore, it is recommended that mangers and policy makers in childbirth facilities reinforce facilitating a respectful maternity care to improve women\u27s child birth experience and prevent potential adverse effects of negative childbirth experiences

The psychometric properties of the Persian menopause rating scale

Background: To measure the severity of menopausal complaints and determine the pattern of menopausal symptoms, a valid and reliable instrument is needed in women’s healthcare. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) is one of the best-known tools in response to the lack of standardized scales. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the MRS in an Iranian example. Methods: Participants were randomly selected from women referred to healthcare centers in Miandoab, West Azerbaijan, Iran. A total of 330 questionnaires were completed (response rate of 96.9%). Two samples were considered for analysis in the validation process. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on the first sample (n1 = 165), and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was done using a second study sample (n2 = 165). The psychometric properties process was concluded with assessment of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results: The EFA with Principal Component Analysis extracted three factors explaining 75.47% cumulative variance. The CFA confirmed a three-factor structure of the 11-items MRS. All fit indices proved to be satisfactory. The relative chi-square (χ2/df) was 3.686 (p < .001). The Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) of the model was .04 (90% CI = .105–.150). All comparative indices of the model, including the Comparative Fit Index, Normed Fit Index, and Relative Fit Index, were more than .80 (.90, .87, and .80, respectively). For the overall scale, Cronbach’s alpha was .931, whereas the alpha for the subscales ranged from 0.705–0.950. The intraclass correlation was .91 (95% CI = .89–.93), p < 0.001. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that the Persian model of the MRS is a valid and reliable scale. As a screening tool, the Persian MRS could be used to identify the pattern of symptoms among menopausal, premenopausal, and postmenopausal women to care for and educate them on how to identify and treat the symptoms

Fear of childbirth, anxiety and depression in three groups of primiparous pregnant women not attending, irregularly attending and regularly attending childbirth preparation classes

BACKGROUND: Lack of knowledge and fear of the unknown during pregnancy and childbirth make mothers fearful, worried, and anxious. Maternal fear and anxiety can lead to problems such as preterm childbirth and low birth weight. Increasing women\u27s knowledge through prenatal education can prepare them for childbirth and improve their health. The present study was conducted to compare fear of childbirth, anxiety and depression during pregnancy in three groups of primiparous pregnant women who were either not attending, irregularly attending, or regularly attending childbirth preparation classes. METHODS: A total of 204 primiparous pregnant women attending health centers in Tabriz, Iran, were selected by cluster sampling and assigned to the following three groups: Not attending, irregularly attending (attending one to three sessions of classes) and regularly attending (attending four to eight sessions of classes). Childbirth fear, pregnancy anxiety and depression questionnaires were completed for them through interviews. The general linear model was used to compare their fear of childbirth and prenatal anxiety and depression. RESULTS: According to the general linear model, the scores of fear of childbirth (p \u3c  0.001), anxiety (p \u3c  0.001) and depression (p = 0.006) were significantly lower in the group of pregnant women regularly attending the classes compared to the non-attending group of women. No significant differences were observed between the regularly-attending and irregularly-attending groups in terms of fear of childbirth (p = 0.066), anxiety (p = 0.078), and depression (p = 0.128). CONCLUSION: Prenatal training can reduce fear, anxiety and depression in primiparous women. Incorporating such training into prenatal care helps improve maternal health