Women's experiences in the transition to menopause: a qualitative research.

BACKGROUND: Around the time of transition to menopausal period, women experience mental, and psychological disorders that require adequate attention to these symptoms. This study aimed to explore the experiences of women in the face of premenopausal symptoms. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted using a content analysis method in Javanrood, Iran, in 2020. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured face to face interviews with 16 premenopausal using interview guide in a private room in comprehensive health centers. The women inclusion criteria were approaching menopause, having irregular menstruation, and having no disease or medication that affects menstruation. Furthermore, the exclusion criteria were the absence of menstruation for more than 12 months, and the women's refusal to continue the interview. The participants were selected using purposive sampling and sampling continued until data saturation. The collected data were analyzed with MAXQDA10 software following the multi-step method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. RESULTS: The participants' mean age was 47 ± 2.98 years. The data analysis revealed 5 categories including: "menopause and aging", "life transformation", confrontation of fear and hope", "life adjustment", and "need to facilitate the transition time". CONCLUSION: This study suggested the women's experience of the transition to menopause was characterized by the fear of the future and its consequences and the need for reassurance about it. Besides, the women sought solutions to their problems in health care providers, peers, and the family.

Attitudes of Iranian students about organ donation: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Organ donation is a life-saving process for patients suffering from an advanced organ failure. A disparity between donated organs and required organs for transplantation is one of the major problems in Iran. Since personal attitudes about organ donation is a main factor influencing willingness to donate organ, the present study sought to provide a deeper understanding of the attitudes of university students in Iran regarding organ donation. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted in 2016. Semi-structured interviews were held for collecting data from eighty five students from various universities in Hamadan city, Iran. Using a purposive sampling method, the students were selected based on the maximum variation. The content analysis method was used for data analysis by the research team and criteria for the study's rigor was considered. RESULTS: Overall, the students had positive attitudes toward organ donation by brain-dead patients. Nevertheless, not of them stated that they would become an organ donor. During the data analysis, 376 primary codes, 13 categories, and 6 themes were developed. Themes were "cognitive readiness", "mediators of decision making", "beliefs and motivations", "interactions with the health system", "dependency", and "integrity of the body". Also, thirteen sub-themes were developed. CONCLUSION: Many factors influence the students' attitudes toward organ donation. Identification and explanation of these factors can help healthcare managers and policymakers for planning and improving the organ donation culture in the society.

Factors Affecting Postpartum Infection: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Puerperal infection is used to describe any bacterial infection of the reproductive tract after delivery. Identifying the factors affecting postpartum infections can reduce the risk and complications of such factors and postpartum maternal mortality. OBJECTIVE: This structured study was designed to evaluate factors affecting postpartum infections. METHODS: In this study, after selecting Scopus, PubMed, SID, and Web of Science electronic databases, all observational studies (cohort and case-control) available and published in Farsi and English to investigate factors affecting postpartum infections were searched. The search was performed using the terms postpartum, infection, wound infection, puerperium, reason, risk factor, and their equivalent Persian words from 2010 to November 2019 regardless of publication status. RESULTS: Out of the 3227 studies obtained, 19 were reviewed after removing irrelevant articles, duplicates (shared in databases), and animal samples. Age, level of education, delivery method, presence of episiotomy, anemia due to postpartum hemorrhage, interventions and manipulations during childbirth, prenatal hygiene, Povidone Iodine usage before delivery to wash the vagina, antibiotic prevention, increased labor duration, obesity, and the presence of bacteria were common symptoms affecting postpartum infection. CONCLUSION: In this study, the factors affecting postpartum infection have been identified, some of which are avoidable. Identifying these factors helps reduce postpartum infections and their complications.

Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Evaluating the Effect of Group Education on Postmenopausal Sexual Dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: This study primarily aimed to determine the effect of group education on sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women referred to health centers in Hamadan, Iran. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial conducted on 90 postmenopausal women from October 2018 to March 2019. Postmenopausal women who met the inclusion criteria and received approval of a psychiatrist were randomly divided into intervention and control groups (n = 45 in each group). They completed the demographic questionnaire and the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire. Thereafter, four sessions of group training were conducted for women in the intervention group; these women were followed up for 1 month after the last training session. Data were analyzed using the SPSS ver. 16 software, and descriptive statistics and ANCOVA/ANOVA test were used for data analysis. RESULTS: We found that the two groups were homogenous in most of the demographic variables and the data were normal. The total mean score of sexual function and standard deviation after the intervention was 23.70 ± 3.67 in the intervention group and 19.94 ± 3.64 in the control group, indicating that these scores were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, group training is recommended to reduce sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women at health centers.

Investigating the effect of tetracycline addition on nanocomposite hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan nanoparticles for specific medical applications.

Hydrogels have been used in many biomedical applications such as drug delivery and tissue engineering in recent decades. To improve the physiochemical and antimicrobial properties of these hydrogels and developing their applications, hybrid systems consisting of hydrogels, biodegradable nanoparticles and antibiotics were synthesized. In this regard, nanocomposite hydrogels based on PVA, 5% chitosan nanoparticles (NC) and various contents of tetracycline were prepared using freezing-thawing cycles and characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gel fraction, swelling, antibacterial and cell viability studies, contact angle measurements, scanning electron microscopy, hydrolytic degradation and release studies. The FTIR studies showed the interaction between PVA, NC and tetracycline, and upon addition of 5% tetracycline gel fraction increases. Antibacterial and cell viability studies showed great antibacterial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and cell growth in the presence of tetracycline. NC and tetracycline well dispersed in the hydrogel matrix and upon addition of tetracycline hydrolytic degradation and hydrophilicity increased. Finally, according to the release studies, the hydrogels mechanism perfectly fitted in Peppas-Korsmeyer and Higuchi models. Therefore, according to the results, nanocomposite hydrogel containing 5% of tetracycline can be suggested as a good candidate for wound dressing and novel drug delivery systems such as colon-specific drugs.

What Psychiatric Interventions Are Used for Anxiety Disorders in Infertile Couples? A Systematic Review Study.

Objective: Infertility causes psychological and social problems in many infertile women, men, and couples, and the most common of which is anxiety. Also, assisted reproductive treatments (ART) increase anxiety. Numerous medical and community associations have strongly recommended psychosocial interventions and counselling to help infertile couples. Method : A review was done on studies published from 1982 to 2018 that were indexed in Medline, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Scopus. The references of each article were used for more resources and references. Results: Most psychosocial interventions were effective on infertile women, men, and couples. These articles showed a significant decrease in anxiety with CBT interventions, body-mind interventions, and other interventions. Conclusion: All interventions based on CBT, most interventions based on body-mind, and some other interventions are effective in treating anxiety in infertile women and men.

The effect of kangaroo mother care on physiological parameters of premature infants in Hamadan City, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Breast-feeding and being with mother have positive effects on the preterm infant's health status. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) on physiological parameters of premature infants in Fatemiyeh Hospital in Hamadan in 2016. METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study. One hundred newborns who were admitted to in neonatal intensive care unit of Fatemiyeh Hospital in Hamadan city, Iran were selected by convenience sampling. They were randomly divided into two groups (experimental group, n = 50 and control group, n = 50). In the experimental group, newborns were taken daily KMC for an hour during 7 days. In the control group, routine care was performed in the incubator. The data gathering tool was questionnaire of infants and mother characteristics, checklists of vital signs and oxygen saturation. Data analysis was performed by SPSS 19 software using descriptive and inferential statistics (Independent t -test, Paired t-test, Chi-square, ANOVA). RESULTS: Before intervention, there was no significant difference between the physiological parameters of the infants (heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial blood oxygen saturation and temperature) in experimental and control groups. However, after intervention, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of physiological indices (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate the effect of KMC on enhancement of physiological indices. Therefore, it is recommended that KMC is taken as one of the routine care of premature infants.

Effect of Consultation on Adherence to Clinical Breast Examination and Mammography in Iranian Women: A Randomized Control Trial

Background: Early diagnosis of breast cancer is directly related to success in treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of consultation based on the health belief model on performance of clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammography in women. Methods: This research was a clinical trial study. Eligible women aged> 40 years attending to Hamadan health care centers in 2016 were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (n = 75 in each group). The experimental group received 4 weekly sessions of breast cancer screening consulting based on Health Belief Model (HBM). Knowledge on breast cancer, HBM constructs, and practices were compared between two groups before, one and three months after intervention. Results: Before the intervention, no significant differences were observed in knowledge, HBM constructs and practice between experimental and control groups. While one and three months post intervention significant differences were detected between two groups on HBM constructs (except susceptibility and severity) and knowledge (p <0.05). Conclusions: The results showed the consultation promoted breast cancer screening in women.

Effects of Counselling and Sole Reflexology on Fatigue in Pregnant Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Increase of fatigue may lead to problems during pregnancy, delivery and post delivery. Sole reflexology is the application of pressure to areas on the feet. Reflexology is generally relaxing and may be an effective way to alleviate fatigue and stress. AIM: To investigate the effect of counselling and sole reflexology on fatigue in pregnant women, referred to the medical centers of Hamadan city, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a randomized clinical trial with three groups - Group A (counselling and reflexology), Group B (reflexology) and Group C (control) with pre and post intervention. A total of forty two pregnant women were selected for each group. Measurement tool was a 30 question standard checklist for fatigue assessment. For all three groups, an explanatory session was held to get their written consents and conduct a pretest. The intervention included five education sessions, twice a week about reflexology in the form of counselling and sole reflexology. The groups were assessed immediately after intervention. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0. To analyse the data, descriptive statistics, t test and ANOVA with repeated measures were used. RESULTS: In group A and group B, the mean score of fatigue severity after the intervention demonstrated a significant decrease (p<0.05); furthermore, after intervention, a significant difference was observed between the control and experimental groups in terms of fatigue severity (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, counselling and sole reflexology significantly decreased fatigue in pregnant women. It is hoped that the results of this study can be used by all treatment groups and midwives for controlling and providing midwifery cares for pregnant women.

Investigating the relationship between quality of life with lipid and glucose levels in Iranian diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic disorders including obesity, diabetes and hyperlipidemia are the most important human health problems. AIMS: This study aimed to determine the relationship between quality of life (QOL) with lipid and glucose levels in diabetic patients of Hamadan, Iran in 2016. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. The research sample consisted of 112 patients with type II diabetes (56 men and 56 women) who were referred to the public hospitals and diabetes research center in Hamadan, Iran. The samples were selected randomly from the list patients. Data were collected using a questionnaire that consisting of three parts: demographic characteristics, quality of life and the laboratory results of Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), blood lipid profiles and HbA1c. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 software. RESULTS: The average age of men was 12/4±57/8years and the average age of women was 15/2±55/1years. This study showed that the QOL in 53.6% of people was undesirable and 46.4% were desirable. HbA1c level was significantly higher in men than women. Whereas, HDL levels were significantly higher in women than men (p>0/05). There was no significant correlation between blood lipids, FBS and quality of life of patients. The individual characteristics such as education, economic status and duration of diabetes had significant correlation with quality of life (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Due to the unsatisfactory quality of life in diabetes patients, it is recommended that implementation of training programs for diabetes patients and application suitable care approaches to enhance diabetes QOL.

Effect of Group Counseling on Quality of Life among Postmenopausal Women in Hamadan, Iran.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of counseling on quality of life (QOL) in postmenopausal women conducted in Hamadan, Iran in 2015. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, 80 postmenopausal women were randomly selected and allocated to case and control groups (40 per group). Data collection tool included questionnaires of demographic information and QOL during menopause, which were completed by the samples before the intervention. In the case group, training program was run during four sessions in the form of weekly consulting sessions for 45 to 60 minutes. Training program included familiarity with menopause symptoms, confrontation and self-care during this period. The control group, only received routine cares. Three months after intervention, information were collected in both groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows. RESULTS: Before the intervention, mean ± standard deviation for QOL in case group was 101.2 ± 31.4 and it was significantly decreased to 96.9 ± 27.0 after intervention (P < 0.05). While no significant change was observed in the control group (from 98.9 ± 35.5 to 102.3 ± 35.0, P = 0.443). Symptoms of physical (P = 0.033) and sexual (P < 0.001) dimensions significantly decreased in the case group. While significant increase was observed in terms of psychosocial (P = 0.049) and sexual symptoms in control group. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggested impact of consulting on improvement of QOL during menopause. Supportive consulting can be a suitable approach for improving women's health, reducing problems and enhancing QOL in menopause period.

Effects of Group Counseling Based on Health Belief Model on Cervical Cancer Screening Beliefs and Performance of Rural Women in Kaboudrahang, Iran

Objective: Pap smear test is an appropriate screening method for early diagnosis of cervical cancer and reduction of mortality. This study targeted effects of group counseling based on the Health Belief Model on cervical cancer screening practices of Iranian rural women. Method: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 80 rural women under coverage of the health care centers in rural areas in the city of Kabudrahang, Iran, in 2015. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire covering demographic information, Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs and screening performance. Data were collected using a multi-stage sampling method. Group counseling was conducted based on the Health Belief Model and the GATHER steps in three sessions for the intervention group. Counseling included an introduction to cervical cancer, disease symptoms, warning signs and prevention approaches. Pap smear testing in both intervention and control groups was evaluated two months after the group counseling. Results: Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between both groups in the HBM constructs and performance. After the intervention, a significant difference was seen in the perceived susceptibility (P<0.001), severity (P=006), benefits (P=012), barriers (P<0.001), and self-efficacy (P=002). Two months after the intervention, 17 patients (42.5%) in the intervention group, and 4 patients (10%) in the control group had undergone a Pap smear test (P<0.001). Conclusion: Design and implementation of counseling programs based on the HBM can modify the beliefs of rural women regarding cervical cancer screening and increase their performance.

Factors contributing to fear of childbirth among pregnant women in Hamadan (Iran) in 2016.

BACKGROUND: Fear of childbirth is a considerable mental, social, and physiological phenomenon among women as well as their families, which can be effective in choosing cesarean section for delivery. AIM: To determine some factors contributing to the fear of childbirth among pregnant women. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 335 pregnant women referred to health centers in Toyserkan in 2016. Pregnant women with the gestational age of 16-40 weeks filled out Harman's Childbirth Attitude Questionnaire (CAQ) as well as stating demographic and obstetrics characteristics. Data were analyzed by Software SPSS/19 through chi-square, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation tests. RESULTS: The mean age and mean gestational age of the pregnant women were 26.5±4.9 years old and 26.52 weeks, respectively; 89.3% of the women reported fear of childbirth. There was a significant difference among the mean scores of the women's fear of childbirth and education level, household income adequacy, gravidity, being familiar with the delivery process, and pre-pregnancy cares (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study found the relationship between women's fear of childbirth and their education level, household income, gravidity, familiarity with delivery process, and pre-pregnancy cares. It is necessary for health caregivers to take into consideration the vulnerable groups, especially nulliparous women during pre-pregnancy care as well as the social, and cultural status of women in order to identify the pregnant women exposed to fear of childbirth and reduce the chance of choosing cesarean section by providing appropriate services.

Effect of Sexual Counseling on Marital Satisfaction of Pregnant Women Referring to Health Centers in Malayer (Iran): An educational randomized experimental study.

INTRODUCTION: One of the most important factors in marital satisfaction is the satisfaction of a healthy sexual relationship between spouses. During pregnancy marital satisfaction may decrease due to sexual problems. Sexual counseling to pregnant women may reduce the complications of these problems at this time. This study aimed to investigate the effects of sexual counseling on marital satisfaction of pregnant women. This article is sponsored by the Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. METHODS: This educational randomized experimental study was conducted on 80 pregnant women referring to health centers of Malayer. Samples were two groups of experimental and control, with forty participants in each group, four consultation sessions were held, and each session lasted 40 to 90 minutes Data gathering tools were demographic questionnaire and Enriching Relationship Issues Communication and Happiness (ENRICH), a short form of marital satisfaction questionnaire with 47 items. Data were analyzed by Software SPSS 22 and the results were compared by independent t-test, chi-square test, and repeated measure ANOVA. RESULTS: Comparing the marital satisfaction mean scores in the experimental group showed a significant difference between pre-consultation, and the consultation after two and four weeks. Marital satisfaction score of 8.05 ± 51.20 before the consultation was increased to 7.76 ± 54.52 after two weeks and 6.48 ± 59.20 after four weeks (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001). In addition, mean and standard deviation of marital satisfaction in the control group before the intervention, two weeks and four weeks after the intervention were respectively 10.10 ± 45.67, 11.75 ± 47.75, and 10.02 ± 46.30 and Bonferroni post hoc test showed a significant difference between before and two weeks after intervention (p = 0.03). However, marital satisfaction before and four weeks after the intervention was not significant (p = 0.59). The results showed that sexual counseling was associated with marital satisfaction and was effective in its promotion. CONCLUSION: Sexual counseling can be used as a method of intervention in sexual relationship of spouses particularly in marital dissatisfaction.

Effects of Group Counseling on Self-care Behaviors in Menopausal Women with Diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes is a chronic disease which is common in menopause period. Performing self-care behaviors is effective method for control of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of counseling on self-care behaviors in menopause diabetes women in 2016 in Hamadan, Iran. METHODS: In this study, 80 menopausal women were randomly selected and allocated to the experimental and control groups (40 per group). Data collected by a questionnaire included of demographic information, self-care behaviors, fasting blood sugar (FBS) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). In the experimental group, training program was run during four sessions in the form of weekly group consulting sessions. During this period, the control group only received routine cares. Three months after intervention (group consultation) self-care behaviors, FBS and HbA1c were compared between two groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. RESULTS: The self-care score in the experimental group increased from 49.6 ± 12.2 before the intervention to 66.6 ± 9.3 after the intervention (P < 0.05). Also in the control group average of self-care score changed from 57.6 ± 11.5 to 62.0 ± 11.6 (P < 0.05). Three months after the group consultation, there was a significant difference between two groups in the dimensions of diet (P = 0.013), exercise (P = 0.009) and foot care (P < 0.001). In the experimental group, FBS decreased from 148.8 ± 62.4 mg/dL to 128.9 ± 46.3 mg/dL. Also, HbA1c changed from 7.2 ± 1.8 g/dL to 6.8 ± 1.6 g/dL three months after intervention (P = 0.058). No significant changes were observed in FBS and HbA1c in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that group counseling promoted self-care behaviors and metabolic indices in menopausal diabetic patients.

The Effect of Entonox on Labour Pain Relief among Nulliparous Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Labour pain is one of the most severe pain in humans. Fear of labour pain is the most dreadful reason for Caesarean Section (CS). Entonox (a mixture of nitrous oxide+oxygen) is a safe inhalational analgesia during labour pain. AIM: This study investigated the effect of entonox on pain relief and length of labour in nulliparous women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinical trial study was conducted among 120 nulliparous women (60 in intervention and 60 in control group) in 2015 in Atieh Hospital, Hamadan city, Iran. The women were chosen randomly to receive either entonox in the intervention group or oxygen in the control group. For the intervention group, entonox inhalation was introduced at the initiation of pain at each contraction. entonox gas was administrated via a face-mask. This enabled the women to breathe fresh gas in each inspiration. In the control group the oxygen inhalation was given with occurrence of pain at each contraction too. In both groups, the gas administration continued until the end of contraction pain with the patient finally breathing room air. Pain using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), duration of labour and side effects were compared in two groups. RESULTS: The mean age of women was 25.69 (SD=4.83). There were significant differences between two groups on labour pain at the first, second, third and fourth hours after intervention (p<0.05). Duration of labour in the intervention group (64.80 minutes) was significantly shorter than the control group (98.33 minutes) (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups on women's blood pressure and neonatal Apgar score. Only dizziness was slightly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Entonox provides significant pain relief and it can quickly be implemented during painful labour.

Barriers for breast cancer screening among Asian women: a mini literature review.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Asian women. Breast cancer is detected in advanced stages and among younger age group women in Asia. The delay in presentation is attributed mainly to the social-cultural perception of the disease, poverty, and the strong influence of traditional medicine. Many of Asian women are not aware of the importance of regular screening. Cultural attitudes toward breast cancer screening tests, modesty, lack of encouragement by family members and physicians are the major inhibitors to women's participation in breast cancer screening. Health education using media and community health programs to create awareness of the advantages of earlier presentation and diagnosis of breast cancer in Asian women can motivate participation in breast cancer screening programs.

Mediation Effect of Self-Efficacy on the Relationship between Mentoring Function and Career Advancement among Academics in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of social organizational factors in career advancement and promotion among academic employees, still some academic employees suffer from low career advancement and consequently low academic performance. Aim of this study was to examine the mediation effect of self-efficacy on relationship between mentoring and career advancement among academic employees in the two public universities in Iran. METHODS: This survey research was done among 307 randomly selected academic employees to determine predictors of their career advancement. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. The Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) methodology was applied to determine the best fitted model to predict career advancement. Analysis of data was performed using the Pearson's correlation analysis and SEM. RESULTS: The results show that self-efficacy was related to mentoring and career advancement (p<0.05). The effect of mentoring on career advancement was significant (p<0.05). Self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between mentoring and career advancement (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Academics need to be equipped with appropriate skills such as mentoring and enhance their self-efficacy to improve academic career advancement.

Effects of Group Training Based on the Health Belief Model on Knowledge and Behavior Regarding the Pap Smear Test in Iranian Women: a Quasi-Experimental Study.

The Pap smear test is recommended for early diagnosis of cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and behavior regarding the Pap smear test based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) in women referred to premarital counseling classes, Hamadan, Iran. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 330 women, who were allocated randomly to two case and control groups (n=165). Two educational session classes were performed in the case group. Two stages in before and after intervention groups were evaluated. Analysis of data was performed by SPSS/16.0, using t-test, x2, and McNemar's test. P-values <0.05 were regarded as significant. There was no significant difference between the mean scores of the various structures of this model in two groups before the intervention. However, after the intervention there were significant increase in mean score of knowledge and all variables of HBM in the intervention group(<0.001). The findings of this study highlight the important role of education about cervical cancer on changing women's beliefs about cervical screening.

The Effectiveness of Counseling in Reducing Anxiety Among Nulliparous Pregnant Women.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of counseling in reducing anxiety of nulliparous pregnant women. Materials and methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 110 nulliparous pregnant women were selected out of all pregnant women referring to Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan, Iran. Then, the subjects were divided into two groups in experimental and control (55 women in each). The data were collected through a questionnaire covering demographic and obstetric characteristics and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The experimental group participated in four weekly sessions of group counseling about mother-infant attachment behaviors. Whereas, the control group only receive routine cares. Two groups were compared in terms of anxiety before and after the study. Results: Before the intervention, no significant difference in anxiety level was observed between the two groups; however, state and trait anxiety levels of pregnant women in the experimental group significantly decreased after the intervention (p < 0.001). There was also significant difference in the mean score of state and trait anxiety levels between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results showed the effectiveness of prenatal counseling in reducing state and trait anxiety levels of pregnant women.