Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on sexual function and sexual self-efficacy in pregnant women: An RCT

Background: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the ways to improve an undesirable sexual function. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of CBT on the sexual function and sexual self-efficacy of pregnant women. Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 36 pregnant women referred to five healthcare centers in Ahvaz, Iran, from December 2016 to January 2017 were enrolled through stratified random sampling in two groups. The case group received counseling based on cognitive behavioral therapy for eight consecutive weeks and the control group received the routine training provided by healthcare staff. Two and four weeks after the end of sessions, both groups completed the Female Sexual Function Index and self-efficacy questionnaires again. Results: The mean of sexual function and self-efficacy scores in pregnant women in the case and control groups before the intervention did not show a significant difference (p = 0.56). The mean of sexual function and self-efficacy scores of pregnant women in the case and control groups was statistically significant two and four weeks, respectively, after the intervention (p ≤ 0.0001). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that counseling based on CBT in comparison with the routine training during pregnancy improves the sexual performance and self-efficacy of pregnant women. Key words: Cognitive behavioral therapy, Pregnant women, Sexual dysfunction, Sexual self-efficacy, Sex counseling

The Effect of Group Prenatal Care on Empowerment of Pregnant Adolescents: A randomized controlled trial

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of group prenatal care on empowerment of pregnant adolescents. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 294 pregnant adolescents (aged 15-19) were randomly assigned into two groups of group prenatal care (GPNC, n=147) and individual prenatal care (IPNC, n=147). GPNC group received 5 sessions of GPNC (90-120 min) during 16-20 weeks of pregnancy, while the control group received individual prenatal care. The empowerment of participants in the two groups was measured using the empowerment scale for pregnant women. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, independent t-test, and adjusted regression test. Results: The mean total score of pregnant women’s empowerment in the GPNC and IPNC groups after the intervention was 86.46±4.95 and 81.89±4.75, respectively [ β= 6.11, 95% CI: 4.89, 7.33, p<0.0001]. The improvement of dimensions of pregnancy empowerment in GPNC versus IPNC was as follows: Self‐efficacy: 18.21 ± 2.12 vs. 16.19 ± 1.79 [β= 2.52, 95% CI: 2.19, 2.86, p<0.0001], Future image: 19.57±1.57 vs. 18.95±1.54 [β= 0.67, 95% CI: (0.44, 0.9], Self-esteem: 21.79 ± 1.75 vs. 20.90 ± 1.85 [β= 0.69, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.97, P<0.0001], Joy of an addition to the family: 13.13±1.69 vs. 12.84±1.40 [β= 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.74, P=0.009], and Support and assurance from others: 13.70 ± 1.1 and 13.04 ± 1.07, [β= 0.76, 95% CI: 0.13, 1.65, P<0.0001]. Conclusion: Group prenatal care can improve adolescent pregnant women’s empowerment. Results of the present study can serve as a useful foundation for implementing the group prenatal care model in Iran. Keywords: Adolescent pregnancy; Empowerment; Centering prenatal care; Group prenatal care; Ira

Identifying Factors Affecting Beekeepers Empowerment of Alborz Province

The modern agricultural industry relies extremely on pollination, especially pollination of the major horticultural crops. Reducing bee colonies causes recognition of factors determining activity of bee colony and helps beekeepers to better understand why bee colonies are destroyed sometimes and how they should concern about beehives to breed them in proper way for producing better honey. This research aimed at identifying factors affecting empowerment of beekeepers of Alborz province. The researcher used factor analysis to determine effective factors. Population of the research was beekeepers of Alborz province in which from among them 250 individuals were selected as the sample of the study using Morgan table. Results of factor analysis showed that about 62.846% of total changes occurred in four factors including queen bee, modern packaging, population of hives, and sub-products of honey bee and organic honey production determines the empowerment of beekeeping that was studied in this research

Investigating different factors influencing job satisfaction: A case study of cement industry

Job satisfaction plays an important role on increasing business productivity and efficiency. This paper presents an empirical investigation to study the relationship between job satisfaction and employees’ personal characteristics including gender, marital status, etc. The proposed study designs a questionnaire and distributes it among 244 out of 800 employees who worked for cement industry in Iran. The data are analyzed using different statistical tests such as t-student and analysis of variance. The results indicate that while there was not any meaningful relationship between gender and job satisfaction there was some meaningful relationship between marital status and job satisfaction

Metaphoric Expressions and Their Relation to the Coherence and Unity of Literary Texts

The paper is an attempt to investigate the underlying discoursal functions of metaphors in terms of their contribution to the creation of discoursal coherence in literary text-type. Metaphoric expressions are not ornamental aspects of speech. Rather they are necessary parts of language. In other words, metaphors are not additional linguistic elements which are imposed on ordinary language. Rather metaphors are a necessary part of language and hence they can be considered the core elements of the texts developing and elaborating the topic of the texts. Following this line of thinking, the aim of this paper is to illustrate in which ways the metaphoric expressions used within a text are core elements and how they contribute to the development and elaboration of the topic of the text in literary text-type. We speculate that metaphors within a text, being core elements, are coherently linked to each other on the one hand and to the topic of the text on the other hand. In this paper, we want to find out how the metaphoric expressions used in the literary texts contribute to the establishment of local coherence and enhance the unity of the text in literature text-type. In other words, we are interested to explore how this relatedness increases the unity of the text and establishes the coherence of the whole text in this text-type. It is of special interest to find out in which ways the contribution of metaphoric expressions to the coherence and unity of the text produce literary effect in literature texts. For this purpose a literature text (a poem by Andrew Marvell) has been selected as our data to be analyzed in terms of the use of metaphors within the text and their relations to the coherence and unity of the text. Through the analysis of our data, we found out that in literature text-type, metaphoric expressions are coherently related to each other and these coherent connections among metaphors and their relation to the topic of the text create the literary effect in literature texts. We also investigated the degree of metaphoric force of metaphoric elements in our analyzed text. We found out that in literature text-type the metaphors have strong metaphoric force and this metaphoric force is created not only by new metaphors but also by the strategic uses of some conventional metaphors.We concluded that metaphor being a necessary and core part of a text may contribute to fulfill different functions in different texts. In the case of literary texts, metaphors, in addition to fulfilling other functions, enhance the unity of the text and by doing so produce literary effect of the text. Besides, on the basis of the analysis of our data, we also suggest that appearance of metaphors in specific instances of language use is not a matter of text. Rather metaphors directly evolve from the discourse elaboration process.    

An overview of systematic reviews of normal labor and delivery management

Background: Despite the scientific and medical advances for management of complicated health issues, the current maternity care setting has increased risks for healthy women and their babies. The aim of this study was to conduct an overview of published systematic reviews on the interventions used most commonly for management of normal labor and delivery in the first stage of labor. Materials and Methods: The online databases through March 2013, limited to systematic reviews of clinical trials were searched. An updated search was performed in April 2014. Two reviewers independently assessed data inclusion, extraction, and quality of methodology. Results: Twenty-three reviews (16 Cochrane, 7 non-Cochrane), relating to the most common care practices for management of normal labor and delivery in the first stage of labor, were included. Evidence does not support routine enemas, routine perineal shaving, continuous electronic fetal heart rate monitoring, routine early amniotomy, and restriction of fluids and food during labor. Evidence supports continuity of midwifery care and support, encouragement to non-supine position, and freedom in movement throughout labor. There is insufficient evidence to support routine administration of intravenous fluids and antispasmodics during labor. More evidence is needed regarding delayed admission until active labor and use of partograph. Conclusions: Evidence-based maternity care emphasizes on the practices that increase safety for mother and baby. If policymakers and healthcare providers wish to promote obstetric care quality successfully, it is important that they implement evidence-based clinical practices in routine midwifery care

Effectiveness of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy on Sexual Function and Sexual Self-efficacy in Pregnant Women: an RCT

Background: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the ways to improve an undesirable sexual function. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of CBT on the sexual function and sexual self-efficacy of pregnant women. Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 36 pregnant women referred to five healthcare centers in Ahvaz, Iran, from December 2016 to January 2017 were enrolled through stratified random sampling in two groups. The case group received counseling based on cognitive behavioral therapy for eight consecutive weeks and the control group received the routine training provided by healthcare staff. Two and four weeks after the end of sessions, both groups completed the Female Sexual Function Index and self-efficacy questionnaires again. Results: The mean of sexual function and self-efficacy scores in pregnant women in the case and control groups before the intervention did not show a significant difference (p = 0.56). The mean of sexual function and self-efficacy scores of pregnant women in the case and control groups was statistically significant two and four weeks, respectively, after the intervention (p ≤ 0.0001). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that counseling based on CBT in comparison with the routine training during pregnancy improves the sexual performance and self-efficacy of pregnant women. Key words: Cognitive behavioral therapy, Pregnant women, Sexual dysfunction, Sexual self-efficacy, Sex counseling

The relationship between iron deficiency anemia and sexual function and satisfaction among reproductive-aged Iranian women.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common micronutrient deficiency worldwide, and an important health problem especially in women of reproductive age. This study aimed to determine the relationship between IDA and sexual satisfaction and function among reproductive-aged Iranian women. In this study, 129 women (52 with IDA and 77 non-IDA) with age 18-45 in Mahshahr, Iran were recruited. Data was gathered by a demographic questionnaire, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Larson Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test, Chi-square, and correlation coefficient test. The results of this study showed that the means of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), serum iron and ferritin were significantly lower in the IDA group than those in the non-IDA group (p<0.01). All dimensions of sexual function and satisfaction were significantly lower in women with IDA compared to the healthy women (p<0.001). Also, all blood indices for IDA had a significant relationship with all sexual function components and sexual satisfaction (p = 0.01) except for pain with Hb and ferritin. Health care providers should provide screening, education, and counseling about anemia and sexual function in reproductive age women