Vol 12, No 4 (December 2018)

Original Articles

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 199 | views: 440 | pages: 177-183

    Objective: Falcaria Vulgaris (F.Vulgaris) is a multipurpose herb in traditional medicine, containing essential amino acids, vitamins and numerous nutrients. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of F.Vulgaris on the on the milk production parameters in rats.
    Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 32 wistar female rats were equally divided into 4 groups; group1, control group and group2-4, experimental groups by various doses of F.Vulgaris (20, 50, 100 mg/kg) injected interaperitoneally once a day for 21 consecutive days. The milk production parameters including, diameter and number of alveoli, prolactin hormone level and receptor prolactin (PRLR) gene expression in mammillary gland tissue were measured and compared.
    Results: The results indicated that F.Vulgaris significantly increased diameter and number of alveoli, prolactin hormone level and PRLR gene expression compared to control group (p < 0.05).
    Conclusion: F.Vulgaris extract has positive effects on the milk production parameters in mammary glands.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 190 | views: 429 | pages: 184-190

    Objective: To examine the effectiveness of intrauterine injection of follicular fluid in in vitro fertilization (IVF).
    Materials and methods: A parallel randomized control clinical study was conducted on 110 patients attending Al–Zahra Educational-Medical Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Female candidates for IVF were categorized into intervention (n = 55) and control (n = 55) groups using Randlast software (version 1.2). Following an identical protocol of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gnrh) antagonist stimulating ovulation, in the intervention group a total of 2mL of follicular fluid was injected as intrauterine after the accomplishment of follicular puncture. Embryo transfer was carried out after 2-3 days. The rates of implantation, as well as chemical and clinical pregnancy were compared between the two groups.
    Results: There were no significant differences in chemically proven pregnancy (19 in intervention group (34.5%) vs. 23 (41.8%) in control group p = 0.43), or in clinical pregnancy (30.9% vs. 38.2%, respectively p = 0.42), and in implantation rates (11.52 ± 2.57 % (range, 0-66.7) vs 18.79 ± 3.72 % (range,
    0-100), respectively).
    Conclusion: Injection of follicular fluid into the uterine cavity in candidates for IVF neither improves nor adversely affects the outcome of the therapy.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 196 | views: 563 | pages: 191-196

    Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of endometrial preparation by exogenous steroids, with and without pretreatment by the use of GnRH agonist.
    Materials and methods: This randomized interventional study was conducted on 100 women who underwent a FTET that were randomly assigned to receive GnRH agonist (buserelin) in the luteal phase or no receive this medication. In both groups endometrial preparation was achieved by the use of estradiol valerate pill started from the second day of the menstruation and used every day, with an initial dose of 2mg/d and every 3 days increased to 4 mg/d and 6 mg/d, respectively. Endometrial thickness was evaluated by vaginal ultrasound. Forty eight hours after beginning of progesterone administration 2 to 3 embryos surviving in freezing procedure were transferred.
    Results: the two groups were similar in mean age, body mass index, duration of infertility, type of infertility, number of embryos transferred and endometrial thickness on the day of beginning progesterone therapy. Comparing outcome of FTET between the two groups scheduled for receiving GnRH agonist showed no significant difference in the rate of implantation (6.7% versus 10.0%), the rate of chemical pregnancy (21.7% versus 22.5%), clinical pregnancy rate (15.0% versus 17.5%), and also ongoing pregnancy (13.3% versus 12.5%).
    Conclusion: Endometrial preparation for FTET using GnRH agonists appears to be as effective as FTET without administrating these agonists.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 302 | views: 616 | pages: 197-203

    Objective: To assess the compliance with iron and folate supplementation, and the possibly causally associated factors, among pregnant women in western Iran.
    Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study of 433 pregnant women, selected randomly amongst those (n = 8,500) attending 40 primary health care centers (PHCCs) in west Iran in 2017. A validated questionnaire was used to gather data, including demographic characteristics, the compliance with iron/folate supplementation and reasons for non-compliance.
    Results: The participants’ mean age and the duration of their pregnancies when commencing supplementation were (27.86 ± 5.54y [µ ± SD]) and (23.29 ± 9.86w), respectively. The compliance was 71.6% / 28% for iron, and 81.5% / 40% for folate. The commonest causes of poor compliance were forgetfulness and side-effects. Educational status, age, and history of anemia were significantly positively associated with folate compliance. The compliance with iron was associated only with the level of education.
    Conclusion: Although the compliance with iron and folate was relatively high, most women had not started taking the supplements regularly or at the correct time, usually due to forgetting and/or experiencing adverse side-effects.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 209 | views: 553 | pages: 204-209

    Objective: To evaluate emotion regulation as one of the important aspects of preventing and treatment of substance abuse.
    Materials and methods: This study had a quasi-experiment research method and a pretest-posttest design with the control group. The statistical population of this study included all the female students who lived in the addiction-stricken areas of Kermanshah city. 60 female students (mean: 16.78 and standard deviation: 0.69) who were eligible to participate in the study were selected by convenient sampling and were placed randomly in two test and control groups. The tools that were used in this study included Granefski et al. (2007) cognitive-emotional regulation scale and demographic information sheet. Eight weekly sessions of emotion regulation strategies based on Gross method (2002) were held for the experimental group.
    Results: Multivariate covariance analysis results indicated that teaching emotion regulation strategies has been effective in improving adapting strategies and reducing maladaptive strategies of emotion regulation (p < 0.05).
    Conclusion: Therefore considering the effectiveness of the mentioned intervention, this strategy can be applied beside other methods in order to improve adaptive emotion regulation and reducing maladaptive strategies among female teenagers who live in addiction-stricken areas

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 170 | views: 442 | pages: 210-216

    Objective: To investigate the relationship between insulin resistance and hepcidin levels in patients
    with PCOS.
    Materials and methods: In this case–control study fifty- six patients with PCOS and forty – one healthy control subjects were included. Plasma levels of hepcidin, IL-6, Serum Insulin and ferritin using ELISA method, serum iron levels using a spectrophotometric method, and Insulin resistance by using HOMA  were measured in the two groups of PCOS (case group) and  healthy subjects (control group). The results were analyzed by student’s t-test, General Linear Model, Binary logistic and linear regression tests.
    Results: The mean hepcidin level was 1.97 ± 0.53 pg/ml and 2.40 ± 0.25pg/ml in the case and control groups, respectively. The t-test results showed a significant difference between the two groups
    (p = 0.0001). The mean of insulin level in case and control group was 30.65 ± 15.02g/dl and
    14.71 ± 10.46g/dl, respectively. The t-test analysis indicated a significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.0001). There was an inverse relationship between the level of hepcidin with HOMA-IR
    (β = -0.629, p = 0.04), and IL-6 (β = -0.243, p = 0.015) in both groups. The adjusted OR proved a statistically significant association between serum hepcidin (OR = 0.063; 95 % CI: 0.01-0.385,
    p-value  =  0. 003) and HOMA (OR  =  1.569; 95 % CI: 1.254–1.964, p-value  =  0.001) with PolycysticOvarian Syndrome.
    Conclusion: There was an inverse relationship between hepcidin levels and insulin resistance in both groups meaning decrease in hepcidin levels and increase in insulin resistance may increase the risk of PCOS.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 145 | views: 431 | pages: 217-222

    Objective: To gain insight into the effect of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on cord blood dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis.
    Materials and methods: A prospective case-control study was carried out for 132 pregnant women
    (62 GDM, 70 controls). The cord blood samples were collected from all the participants, and the native thiol-disulfide exchanges were examined by means of an automated method enabling to measure thiol-disulfide balance. In addition to investigating shifts in thiol disulfide balance between GDM and healthy pregnancies, we sought to correlate the thiol / disulfide homeostasis parameters with other clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with GDM and using insulin (n = 19) and on a diet only (n = 43).
    Results: Disulfide amounts, disulfide/native thiol and disulfide/total thiol rates increased (p < 0.001) while native thiol/total thiol decreased in the cord blood of infants born to diabetic mothers (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the patient group administered with insulin and diet only was compared. Disulfide, Disulfide/Native thiol*100, Disulfide/total thiol*100, Native/total thiol*100 differ significantly according to the results (p < 0.05). Disulfide, Disulfide / native thiol * 100, Disulfide/total thiol*100, HbA1c and 75gr are higher than those in patients who do not use insulin. Only Native/total thiol*100 values are higher in patients who use insulin than those who do not.
    Conclusion: This study suggests that the infants born to diabetic mothers are exposed to increased oxidative stress. In addition, the patients who use insulin better control their blood glucose, thus reducing the need of newborns for intensive care.

Case Reports

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 189 | views: 435 | pages: 223-225

    Objective: Total Uterine Inversion is a rare obstetric emergency that may lead to hypovolemia and eventually death. Its incidence varies between different populations and is reported to be between 1 in 2000 to 1 in 50,000 births. This article describes a case of acute total uterine inversion post-partum and review of its management strategies.
    Case report: A primigravid 24 year old female 1.5 hours post-partum was referred to the emergency department from the community health center with total uterine inversion and hypovolemic shock. The patient had given birth vaginally with a midwife. We successfully performed manual reposition of the uterus and balloon tamponade was placed to stop the hemorrhage.
    Conclusion: Total Uterine Inversion is a rare but potentially deadly complication post-vaginal delivery. Its low incidence leads to sparse experience among health professionals in managing this obstetrical emergency. Early fluid resuscitation, manual reposition and balloon tamponadeis essential in order to obtain the best prognosis.Further studies are required to determine the most optimal conservative and surgical management for uterine inversion.