Objective: To investigate the clinical advantage of several prognostic factors for predicting preterm delivery.
Materials and methods: Eighty and six patients with a singleton pregnancy admitted to Vali-Asr hospital underwent genetic amniocentesis between the 15th and 23th weeks were included in this study. Maternal serum C-reactive protein (CRP), transvaginal sonographic measurement of cervical length (CL),were examined on genetic amniocentesis time. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine the efficacy of maternal serum and amniotic fluid CRP levels in predicting women with preterm delivery. Correlation between each factor and the duration of pregnancy was investigated.
Results: The prevalence of spontaneous preterm delivery before 37 weeks of gestation was 11%. ROC analysis revealed that maternal serum CRP level was the parameter, which had a significant power in the prediction of preterm delivery. The optimum cut-off level was 1.2 mg/L. The sensitivity and specificity were 95.1% and 91.8%, respectively. The positive predictive value for CL length with the cut off value of 25 mm was 72.1%. No statistically significant difference correlation observed between CL and the duration of pregnancy or amniotic fluid and maternal serum CRP levels.
Conclusion: The maternal serum CRP level has a good sensitivity and specificity in the prediction of preterm delivery and this may be helpful in predicting preterm delivery during genetic amniocentesis. Maternal serum CRP measurement is a safe, simple clinically useful, cost effective, non invasive method, that may assist clinicians in evaluation for high-risk patients and determine strategies for the prevention of preterm delivery.

Objective: To determine the relationship between preterm birth and domestic violence against pregnant women in Iran.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 600 women who were hospitalized for giving birth in one of hospitals affiliated to Tehran Medical Science University in Iran, between September 9, 2010 and December 30, 2010. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee affiliated with Tehran University, Iran. We applied Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) Questionnaire.
Results: A total of 338 participants (56.3%) declared to experience domestic violence during pregnancy. Psychological violence was the most common form of violence against these women in postpartum (51.3%), and followed by physical violence (5%). Prevalence rate of premature labor was 37.7% among all women in this study which 63.3% of this rate belongs to abuse women.
Conclusion: It is noted that healthcare providers with screening violence during pregnancy and assessing the prevalence, consequences, and possible interventions may help to reduce domestic violence against pregnant women.

Objective: This paper explores the relationship between domestic violence against women inflicted by husbands, unwanted pregnancy and pregnancy termination of Bangladeshi urban women.
Materials and methods: The study used the nationally representative 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) data. The BDHS covered a representative sample of 10,996 ever married women from rural and urban areas. The BDHS used a separate module to collect information from women regarding domestic violence. The survey gathered information of domestic violence from 1,013 urban women which are the basis of the study. Simple cross tabulation, bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to analyzing data.
Results:Overall, the lifetime prevalence of domestic violence was 47.5%. Of the most recent pregnancies, 15.6% were unwanted and 16.0% of the women terminated pregnancy in their marital life. The multivariate binary logistic regression analyses yielded quantitatively important and reliable estimate of unwanted pregnancy and pregnancy termination. The regression analyses yielded significantly (p < 0.05) increased risk of unwanted pregnancy only for physical violence (OR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.28-4.32) and for both physical and sexual violence (OR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.02-5.28), and higher risk of pregnancy termination for only physical violence (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.95-2.10) and for both physical and sexual violence (OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.07-3.04) than women who were never abused. Current age, higher parity and early marriage are also important determinants of unwanted pregnancy and pregnancy termination.
Conclusion: Violence against women inflicted by husbands is commonplace in Bangladesh. Any strategy to reduce the burden of unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion should include prevention of violence against women and strengthening women's sexual and reproductive health.

Objective: Non-specific cervicitis or inflammatory changes in a smear report are common which are usually unclear for clinical approaches. To investigate the frequency of inflammation and pathogenic vaginal microorganisms in cervical smears among an Iranian population sample.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on Pap smear samples of women referred to gynecological clinic of Taleghani Hospital in Tehran, Iran, between October 2008 and March 2009. This study was conducted on 528 conventional Papanicolaou cervical smears. The frequency and severity of inflammation and prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV), Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), and vaginal candidiasis (VC) was determined in the samples. Also co-infection of the microorganisms in Pap samples was evaluated. percentage, mean±standard deviation of the outcome parameters were calculated. The comparison between data was performed with the Pearson's chi square or Fisher's exact test.
Results: The prevalence of BV, VC, and TV in Pap samples was 17%, 11%, and 0.4% respectively. Overall, the prevalence of these microorganisms in women of reproductive age was higher than menopausal women. There was a significant association between VC and the presence of inflammation in our samples.
Conclusion: Based on our results, inflammation in the Pap smears can suggest an infection of VC and the patients should be considered for proper VC treatment.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Meperidine, commonly administered for labor analgesia, on newborn weight and peripartum breastfeeding during two months after delivery.
Materials and methods: This pilot cohort study was conducted between October 2010 and October 2011 at the Women Hospital of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. In this study, we examined the effects of meperidine on breastfeeding and neonatal weight. A total number of 184 full term pregnant women, planned to deliver at this center (normal vaginally delivery or cesarean), participated in this study. The study group included the women who received meperidine in peripartum time to be compared with a control group who did not receive any opioid. Meperidine was administrated to them based on their peripartum breastfeeding behaviour and baby weight, two month after delivery.
Results: Of the 184 woman recruited to the trial, 38 women had normal vaginal delivery and 146 had ccesarean. Within the first two-month, 4% of mothers in control group and 11% of meperidine group used formula. However, this differences were not statistically significant (p value= 0.07). Furthermore, baby weight distribution was not statistically different between two groups.
Conclusion: The inhibitory effect of using Meperidine on peripartum breastfeeding and weight of newborn in the first two months was not statistically significant in this study. More research is needed to clarify the association between meperidine and peripartum breastfeeding.

Objective: To evaluate the increased rate of cesarean section in recent decades and natural desire of women probably due to social, economic& cultural issues in our country. While that in many cases, vaginal delivery can be replaced by unnecessary cesarean. In the absence of need the trend of cesarean section has implications for both future healthy populations and the equitable distribution of maternity resources. The aim of the present study was to investigate demographic factors associated with the choice of delivery method.
Materials and methods: In this descriptive cross- sectional study with a random sampling, 283 pregnant women who were referred for control of pregnancy to two primary health care centers two health base were interviewed by Completing the questionnaire. After gathering information data by SPSS software &via descriptive statistical indicators were analyzed.
Results: 35/7% of pregnant women who were studied willing to perform cesarean section. There was a significant relationship between the having a history of cesarean section and referral place for control of pregnancy with selection of the labor type (P < 0.001). While There was no significant relationship between the Demographic factors as age, educational level& job of pregnant women &Their husbands with Select the type of delivery (P > 0.001). The reasons for selection of cesarean section were fear of labor pain, Prevention of genital rupture & physician recommendation.
Conclusion: The rate of selecting cesarean section is higher than acceptable World Health Organization. Therefore, careful planning should be done to raise awareness, improve attitudes and change false beliefs in pregnant women & their husbands by health service's personnel.

Objective: This study sought to explore University of Ghana Business School diploma student's knowledge of contraceptives, types of contraceptives, attitudes towards contraceptive users, preference for contraceptives, benefits, and side-effects of contraceptives.
Materials and methods: Data was conducted with three sets of focus group discussions. Participants were systematically sampled from accounting and public administration departments.
Results: Findings showed that students had little knowledge of contraceptives. The male and female condoms were the main contraceptive types reported out of the many modern and traditional methods of contraceptives. The main benefits of contraceptives were; ability to protect against STIs, abortions, unwanted pregnancy and psychological trauma. Whilst most respondents preferred future use of pills, side-effects of contraceptives were mostly reported for condoms than other contraceptive methods. Results showed that participants had bad attitudes towards unmarried contraceptive users.
Conclusion: Generally, our findings show that detailed knowledge about contraceptives is low. There is a little gap of information on contraception knowledge, timing, and contraceptive types among university diploma students. Reproductive and maternal services should be available and accessible for tertiary students.

A 39-year-old pregnant woman at 38 weeks of gestation was referred with labor pain to a hospital. She had consanguinity with her husband. A female newborn had multiple craniofacial anomalies and phocomelia in right upper limb. The disease locus was assigned to chromosome17q21. Four days later, infant died of cardiopulmonary arrest.