Modern Care Journal
Volume:18 Issue: 2, Apr 2021

Postpartum depression is a common condition, which is managed by antidepressants. Antidepressants are generally considered to be safe during breastfeeding, and the probability of exposure to antidepressants through breast milk is low to very low. Due to the beliefs of breastfeeding women that antidepressants may have side effects on infants, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is being investigated to play a role in the management of postpartum depression. Yoga is among the complementary therapies that showed preventive effects against depression in some age and disease groups.

The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effects of Yoga intervention on healthy pregnant women and its preventive effects on postpartum depression.

Clinical databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Medlib, Web of Science, Psych Info, and Cochrane Library, as well as Google Scholar, were searched using search keywords, including pregnant women, women, maternal period, yoga, mindfulness, postpartum depression, and depression. Clinical trial, case-control, and cohort articles in English language that assessed the effects of Yoga on postpartum depression in healthy women were reviewed. Among the initial 982 identified studies, five studies (271 subjects) were eligible for the review. Due to the high heterogeneity in the studies, meta-analysis was not performed.

One study had medium quality, one study had good quality, and three studies had high quality. Yoga intervention included physical and mindfulness exercises and assessed mood and behavior during pregnancy. The intervention duration ranged between 6 and 24 weeks during pregnancy. In the majority of studies, Yoga intervention reduced postpartum depression and other mental disorders.

Yoga may be a beneficial and safe choice in the management of postpartum depression in healthy pregnant women.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected in countless ways conventional teaching methods and led to a sudden shift in teaching methods toward distance teaching.

Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of webinar training compared to conventional training on the risk perception of COVID-19 in emergency medical technicians (EMTs).

This quasi-experimental study selected 70 EMTs employed at the emergency medical services (EMS) affiliated to the Birjand University of Medical Sciences via convenience sampling. The participants were randomly designed into a webinar training group (n = 35) and a conventional training group (n = 35). The risk perception of COVID-19 was evaluated using a researcher-made questionnaire (40 questions) at baseline and immediately after teaching. The study data were analyzed using SPSS V.26, descriptive (frequency, mean, and standard deviation), and inferential statistics (t-test, ANOVA, and chi-square test).

All the 70 participants completed the questionnaire. The mean score of COVID-19 risk perception in both groups improved following teaching (P < 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups immediately after training (P = 0.76). Also, independent t-test and one-way ANOVA showed that the mean score of COVID-19 risk perception had no significant difference with the participants’ demographic data in the two groups (P > 0.05).

The webinar in the form of distance teaching can be as effective as conventional teaching in improving COVID-19 risk perception. Therefore, a webinar format can be used during pandemics of infectious diseases when conventional training is impossible.

Self-efficacy is the basis for improved self-care in diabetic patients, and self-care is the most important strategy to control diabetes. Therefore, it is important to choose an appropriate educationalmethod to provide patients information to achieve these goals.

This study aimed to compare the impacts of teach back and video tape education methods on self-efficacy and self-care abilities of patients with type 2 diabetes.

In this semi-experimental controlled study, 105 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly divided into the three groups of teach back, video tape training, and control. The data were collected using Orem’s nursing assessment form and two researchermade questionnaires of self-care and self-efficacy. In the teach back group, based on the extent of self-care disability in the areas of physical activity, foot care, and glycemic control, educational sessions were held for each patient individually. In the video tape group, three films were shown in those areas for patients. The control group received no intervention. Questionnaires were recompleted seven days and one and three months after the intervention through interviews. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.

The mean total score of self-care in the teach back group was significantly higher seven days and one and three months after the intervention (P < 0.00). The mean scores of self-care and self-efficacy in the teach back group (before the intervention and seven days and one and three months after the intervention) significantly increased compared to the mean variation of scores in the video tape and control groups (P < 0.001).

Applying the teach back method is more effective than the video tape method, and it is suggested that more extensive studies be conducted to promote self-care and self-efficacy in these patients.

Gynecological cancer is an unfortunate event. Due to cultural and social constraints, there is insufficient information as to the challenges of Iranian women with this cancer.

The aim of this study was explaining the marital life challenges of patients with gynecological cancer.

A qualitative study was performed through semi-structured and face-to-face interviews, and the data was analyzed through conventional content analysis. The participants included 16 women with gynecological cancer referred to three medical centers in Mashhad, Iran.

By analyzing the data, three categories were obtained :1) concerns about losing their position in marital life (forcing to stop sexual intercourse, increasing the burden of life on the spouse and reducing the patient’s presence in marital life), 2) effect of the disease on sexual relations (deterioration of intimacy, unpleasant experiences during sexual intercourse and the occurrence of gradual sexual frigidity), and 3) concerns about the possibility of divorce and separation (being out of favor with husband and marital conflicts).

Women with gynecological cancer face numerous challenges. It is necessary to inform nurses and physicians about this issue to increase their understanding of these women’s problems. Also, holding educational classes and counseling sessions along with medical treatment for patients can play an essential role in promoting the health of these women in various dimensions

Bipolar I disorder (BP-I) is one of the significant disabling psychiatric disorders resulting in severe deficits in the social and personal function of suffering patients. Among its etiologies, immunologic and genetic disturbances are two important areas of interest.

This study aimed to assess the potential role of interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-511 polymorphism in BP-I pathogenesis based on a previous pilot study.

After diagnostic interviews held by two psychiatrists using structured clinical interview for DSM disorder (SCID), 102 bipolar-diagnosed hospitalized patients in Ibn-e-Sina Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, were selected and compared with 102 healthy individuals of the control group. The DNA was extracted from the blood samples of each group. Genetic locus -511 of IL-1β was defined by its specific primers. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were also carried out. The two groups’ results were compared by SPSS-20 using the chi-square test.

There were no significant differences in the genotypic frequency of IL-1β locus -511 (P = 1) and C/T allelic frequency (P = 0.42) between bipolar and control groups. There was also no significant difference in the allelic frequency between psychotic and nonpsychotic subgroups (P = 0.218) and suicidal and non-suicidal subgroups of bipolar patients (P = 0.829). The genotypic distribution of -511 IL-1β polymorphisms in the control group was in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

In contrast with a previous pilot study, this study found no relationship between BP-I and genotypic and C/T allelic frequencies of -511 IL-1β polymorphism. There were also no associations between the allelic frequency and two subgroups of psychotic/non-psychotic and suicidal/non-suicidal of bipolar patients.

The possibility of vitamin D deficiency is high among mothers and their premature newborns.

Due to the high rate of vitamin D deficiency in Iranian women, this study aimed to determine the association between the serum levels of vitamin D in the blood of premature newborns and their mothers in the Iranian population.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 324 mothers and their 324 newborns with gestational age less than 37 weeks, who were referred to Ghaem Hospital affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, during 2016-2020. After clamping, 1.5 cc blood samples were obtained through the umbilical cord to determine the neonates’ vitamin D levels. Finally, the serum levels of vitamin D were measured, and the correlation between the levels of vitamin D of mothers and their newborns was calculated.

The mean vitamin D levels of newborns and mothers were 15.75±11.18 and 20.16±13.41 ng/mL, respectively. Moreover, there was a high correlation between the vitamin D levels of mothers and their newborns (r = 0.672; P < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between the vitamin D levels of mothers, who used vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and their neonates’ levels (r = 0.773; P < 0.001).

The findings suggest a positive correlation between neonatal and maternal vitamin D levels. Moreover, it seems that maternal vitamin D levels can predict neonatal vitamin D deficiency

Complications of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) and neuropathies may occur in some cases. Almost this complication occurs with peripheral neuropathy. Different forms of sensory neuropathy, multiple mononeuropathy, trigeminal neuropathy, multiple cranial neuropathy, radiculoneuropathy, and autonomic neuropathy can occur in SS. In this novel case presentation, polyneuropathy in a 45-year-old female patient with SS is reported with a complaint of ataxia, vertigo, dysarthria, abnormal gait, foreign body sensation, and deterioration of quadriparesis from six months ago. Fluorescent antinuclear antibody (FANA), anti-RO, anti-RO-52, and RF were strongly detected positive in her rheumatologic examination. Pure sensory polyneuropathy (ganglionopathy) was also reported in electromyography and nerve conduction velocity (EMG-NCV). Although peripheral neuropathy is the major and most common neurological aspect of neuron involvement in patients with SS, here, pure sensory polyneuropathy is reported in a 45-year-old female patient with SS. In conclusion, in this novel case presentation, a novel case of polyneuropathy concurrent with SS is demonstrated in a 45-year-old female patient.