The Journal of Family and Reproductive Health (JFRH) is the quarterly official journal of Reproductive Health Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. This journal features fulllength, peer reviewed papers reporting original research, clinical case histories, review articles, as well as opinions and debates on topical issues. Papers published cover the scientific and medical aspects of reproductive physiology and pathology including genetics, endocrinology, andrology, embryology, gynecologic urology, fetomaternal medicine, oncology, related infectious disease, public health, nutrition, surgery, menopause, family planning, infertility, psychiatry–psychology, demographic modeling, perinatalogy–neonatolgy ethics and social issues, and pharmacotherapy. A high scientific and editorial standard is maintained throughout the journal along with a regular rate of publication.

Current Issue

Vol 18, No 1 (March 2024)

Review Articles

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    Objective: To evaluate the implications and significant role of parenchymal and stromal ratio in colorectal cancer (CRC).
    Materials and methods: In our review, we involved English studies from common databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library using the following keywords “colorectal cancer”, “tumor stromal ratio”, “tumor parenchymal ratio”, and “prognostic marker” till December 2023.
    Results: The majority of CRC patients are usually diagnosed at late stages, which may lead to missing out on the chance to get radical therapy. Patients with unfavorable prognosis have epithelial malignant tumors with a high amount of stroma, more than 50% stroma, while tumors with a low amount of stroma, less than 50%, and abundant carcinoma tissue have a better prognosis.
    Conclusion: Tumor-stromal ratio is a valuable, cheap, and fast modality that provides valuable prognostic data of colorectal carcinoma and other cancers.

     

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    Objective: Shelters are an important part of a full response to survivors, as stated in many international conventions, such as the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPfA). This study aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on the establishment of shelters for women survivors of violence.
    Materials and methods: This narrative review was conducted based on the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA). The MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Embase, Ovid, and EBSCO databases in English and Magiran and Scientific Information Database (SID) in Persian were searched for related documents. Also, WHO, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) guidelines and instructions for shelter services for women and girls who have been subjected were searched up to July 31, 2023. A qualitative synthesis was carried out on the 28 eligible articles and instructions out of the 420 retrieved documents.
    Results: "A "shelter" describes emergency and temporary "safe accommodation for women and children who have been subjected to or are at risk of (typically male) domestic abuse. Types of shelters include emergency shelters or safe homes, second-stage or transitional housing facilities, third-stage housing, and alternative accommodation during (and occasionally after) the period of residence. The shelter delivers a wide range of services, including health services, socio-economic services, and legal services. These principles consisted of a comprehensive perspective, quality of service, organization, funding, and the right issues.
    Conclusion: Women who are survivors need holistic, interdisciplinary, and specialist care that focuses on safety and needs. The adoption of regulations with robust enforcement guarantees and the facilitation of approvals for the construction of non-governmental shelters and safe houses should be on the agenda setting.

Original Articles

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    Objective: A cesarean delivery is regarded as a comparatively favourable and secure approach to childbirth when contrasted with vaginal delivery. Over the past decade, its frequency has risen in both industrialized and developing nations. Maternal request for cesarean delivery has been explained for the escalating rate along with other factors like anxiety, fear of childbirth, previous cesarean delivery, previous negative vaginal birth experience, maternal age, maternal education, and socioeconomic factors. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess pregnant women's tendency to have a cesarean birth and to investigate the factors associated with the inclination for cesarean delivery.
    Materials and methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of a tertiary care hospital, a systematic sampling procedure was utilized, and 368 antenatal mothers after 36 weeks of gestation, who do not have any specific medical reasons against vaginal delivery were included in the study. Data collection was done by questionnaire. The information regarding socio-demographic factors, preexisting comorbidities, current obstetric risk factors, emotional factors, previous delivery experience, and their information preference toward the mode of delivery were collected. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify the independent variables associated with preference for cesarean delivery.
    Results: The preference for cesarean delivery and non-preference for cesarean delivery was 114 (30.9%) and 201 (54.6%), respectively whereas 53 (14.4%) participants remained neutral. The Chi-square analysis revealed a notable connection between the inclination towards a preference for cesarean delivery and factors such as obstetric score, parity, comorbidities, and among obstetric risk factors such as pregnancy after in-vitro fertilization (IVF), with a history of abortion, and having a prior history of cesarean delivery. Nevertheless, no meaningful association was observed between the preference for cesarean delivery and the remaining variables. On multivariate logistic analysis, independent variables like preexisting anxiety or depression, pregnancy through IVF, and having a history of previous cesarean delivery have increased the odds of preferring cesarean delivery. The independent variables like increasing gestational age, graduates, and unemployed have decreased the odds of preferring a cesarean delivery.
    Conclusion: In conclusion, the prevalence of cesarean delivery is influenced by a complex interplay of medical, cultural, socioeconomic, and healthcare system factors. While cesarean delivery is essential in cases of medical necessity, efforts should be made to avoid unnecessary cesarean delivery that does not provide clear benefits over vaginal delivery. Balancing the risks and benefits of cesarean delivery and promoting evidence-based obstetric practices are crucial for ensuring optimal maternal and infant outcomes.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 7 | views: 4 | pages: 30-35

    Objective: Increased subcutaneous fat deposition in abdomen in large for gestational age (LGA) fetuses of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus can be measured by fetal abdominal subcutaneous tissue thickness (FASTT) using ultrasound. The current study aimed to evaluate the correlation between FASTT and birth weight and compare FASTT and abdominal circumference (AC) for prediction of LGA babies in gestational diabetes.
    Materials and methods: 150 term GDM women were enrolled into the study. FASTT was measured weekly. Birth weight was measured immediately after delivery and categorized into SGA, AGA and LGA according to International growth charts. The last FASTT and AC values were recorded for analysis. Correlation statistics was used to determine the relation between FASTT with birth weight and ROC curves were used to compare FASTT and AC for prediction of LGA fetuses.
    Results: There was weak positive correlation between FASTT and birth weight with Pearson’s co-efficient (r) of 0.375. The cut-off value for FASTT to predict LGA fetuses obtained by ROC curve was ≥8.05 mm with sensitivity and specificity of 68.8% and 68.7%. The mean values of FASTT for small for gestational age (SGA), appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and LGA fetuses were significantly different. AUC for FASTT was 0.692 and for AC was 0.755.
    Conclusion: FASTT had a positive but weak correlation with birth weight. The utility of FASTT as a screening tool may not be impressive. FASTT can discriminate between SGA, AGA and LGA fetuses. AC is a better predictor than FASTT for LGA neonates.

     

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    Objective: This study aimed to predict suicide attempts based on behavioral activation and inhibition systems (BAS/BIS) with the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation (CER) strategies among adolescents of Abyek City.
    Materials and methods: The research methodology was descriptive-correlational. The cluster sampling method was used, and the resulting sample included 194 adolescents who responded to the BAS/BIS questionnaire (Carver & White, 1994), CER questionnaire, and Beck scale for suicide ideation. Path analysis was employed to evaluate the proposed model using AMOS 24.0 and SPSS 27 softwares.
    Results: The findings indicate that the proposed model is fitted with the data well. The results of path analysis showed that the BAS/BIS systems explain 27% of the variance of maladaptive CER and 61% of the variance of adaptive CER. In addition, maladaptive CER, BAS, and BIS explain 65% of the variance of suicide attempts.
    Conclusion: Low levels of BAS, high levels of BIS, and the use of maladaptive CER skills can be considered risk factors for suicide attempts in adolescents.

     

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    Objective: Internalized transphobia (IT) is influenced by societal norms and expectations, and it can have significant negative effects on the well-being and mental health of transgender individuals. The aim of this study was to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian 8-item IT scale among Iranian transgender individuals in order to enhance the quality and quantity of research in this field.
    Materials and methods: This cross-sectional and methodological study utilized convenience sampling to recruit 119 transgender individuals in Mashhad, the second most populous city in Iran, in 2021. The Persian translation of the IT scale was developed using the backward-forward translation method. Subsequently, various types of validity and reliability were assessed, including content validity using the content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR), face validity based on the impact score, construct validity through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), internal consistency measured by Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest stability analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
    Results: The CVR ranged from 0.600 to 1, the CVI ranged from 0.800 to 1, and the impact score exceeded 1.5, indicating the appropriate content and face validity of the 8-item IT scale. The construct validity analysis revealed that the questionnaire is one-dimensional. The internal consistency, as measured by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.917, and the ICC for test-retest stability was 0.871.
    Conclusion: The Persian version of the IT scale demonstrated high and acceptable psychometric properties. The brevity of this scale facilitates its dissemination and utilization in clinical settings.

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    Objective: Precise assessment of cervical conditions before labor induction is crucial for predicting the success of normal vaginal delivery. The cervix primary condition has a significant value in determining the succession of induction of labour. Traditionally, assessment of cervix before induction has been based on a cervix digital examination using Bishop's scoring method.This study compares transvaginal ultrasonographic (TVS) cervical assessment with the traditional Bishop score in nulliparous women undergoing labor induction, aiming to evaluate their predictive abilities for labor dystocia.
    Materials and methods: In a prospective observational study of 200 pregnant women at Al Hussein University Hospital between October 2022 and July 2023, cervical length, funneling, and posterior cervical angle were measured using transvaginal ultrasound. The Bishop score was recorded before induction. Statistical analyses, including Student's "t"-test and ROC curve, were conducted using SPSS.
    Results: 68% delivered via normal vaginal delivery (NVD) and 32% via cesarean section (CS). The NVD group exhibited significantly higher Bishop scores (6.82±1.36 vs 3.70±0.94), lower cervical length (25.46±3.99 vs 37.34±2.09),and higher cervical angle (121.39±5.70 vs 89.01±6.09), than the CS group. ROC curve analysis revealed that a Bishop score ≥4.5 had 89% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity, a cervical angle ≥ 92.5 had 98.5% sensitivity and 95.3% specificity, and a cervical length ≥31.5 had 96.9% sensitivity and 97.1% specificity for predicting NVD.
    Conclusion: The posterior cervical angle, alongside cervical length, proves to be a more sensitive indicator for predicting labor dystocia during induction compared to the traditional Bishop score.

     

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 7 | views: 9 | pages: 60-66

    Objective: Having a preterm infant is a stressful experience for parents, especially for mothers. This study was conducted to identify the effect of kangaroo mother care on the resilience of mothers with preterm infant hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
    Materials and methods: In this randomized controlled trial study, 60 mothers with preterm infant hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were randomly selected and allocated to intervention and control groups (30 per group) ,in Fatemiyeh Hospital, Hamadan, Iran. Data collection tool included demographic information and Conner & Davidson Resilience Questionnaire (CD-RISC), which were completed by mothers before and after the intervention. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) as an intervention was run in at least one hour daily for a week in the intervention group. The mother-infant pairs in the control group only received conventional method of care (CMC).
    Results: There was a significant increase in the total resilience score of the mothers in the KMC group (from 58.87±14.71 to 69.67±14.50) after intervention (P<0.001); however, resilience score decreased significantly in the mothers of CMC group (from 57.77±13.33 to 51.63±12.20).
    Conclusion: Kangaroo mother care could increase the resilience of mothers of preterm infants. Therefore using this approach as a complementary, effective, Low-cost, non-invasive care is recommended to maintain and promote the health of mothers with preterm infant.

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    Objective: The rate of COVID-19 vaccination hesitation among Iranian pregnant women is around 50%. The objective of the present study was to determine the reasons for the refusal of COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant and postpartum women.
    Materials and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 304 pregnant and postpartum women in the comprehensive health centers of Yazd, Iran, between October 2022 and April 2023. Researchers collected the data of unvaccinated women through phone calls using a validated questionnaire. Data was collected using a questionnaire consisting of baseline characteristics and reasons for refusing vaccination. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data using SPSS version 22.
    Results: The mean age of the pregnant and postpartum women participating in this study was 28.31 ± 6.47 years. The most common reasons for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine included fear of harming the fetus (32.2%), fear of side effects in the mother (25.7%), disbelief in COVID-19 disease and vaccine (13.8%), lack of information about the vaccine (12.8%), and negative opinions of the media and society (12.8%). Less common reasons included husband's disagreement (8.2%), history of COVID-19 infection (6.9%), gynecologists' disagreement (6.3%), history of infertility (5.9%), and underlying disease (3.3%). Astonishingly, among participants who did not inject a booster dose of the vaccine, 76% reported they didn't receive any training and recommendation on booster dose injection from health providers.
    Conclusion: Findings highlight that the most common reasons for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine were fear of harming the fetus and fear of side effects in the mother.

Case Reports

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    Objective: Aggressive Angiomyxoma (AA) of the vulva is a slow-growing mesenchymal tumour with a tendency to local invasion and recurrence.
    Case report: We report two cases of vulvoperineal masses that were diagnosed to be Aggressive Angiomyxomas after surgical excision. Both patients presented to the Gynaecology OPD of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda, Punjab, India, in 2020 and 2022 with complaints of a mass coming out of introitus of three years duration and 14 years duration, respectively. The first patient was managed by surgical excision of the mass via abdominoperineal approach, while the second patient underwent vaginal hysterectomy along with the removal of the mass. Both patients were given GnRH analogues after the surgery to avoid any further recurrences and have been in remission on follow-ups so far.
    Conclusion: Due to its rare occurrence, clinicians should consider the possibility of AA while encountering patients with vulvovaginal masses to avoid misdiagnosis and delayed management.

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