The effect of foetal movement counting on maternal anxiety: A randomised, controlled trial.

This study assessed the effect of foetal movement counting on maternal anxiety. In a randomised, controlled trial, 208 primigravida women with a singleton pregnancy were allocated either to perform daily foetal movement counting (n100) from 28 weeks ' gestation or to follow standard Iranian antenatal care (n108). Maternal anxiety was measured by Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS (16.0). There was no significant difference in mean state and trait anxiety scores at 28 weeks ' gestation; the difference was significant at 37 weeks ' gestation in state anxiety score between the intervention and control groups (35.34 9.98 vs. 38.25 9.63, respectively, P0.001). A significant difference was found in mean trait anxiety score at 37 weeks ' gestation between the two groups (35.88 8.19 vs. 39.15 9.25, respectively, P 0.008). Women who performed foetal movement counting from 28 to 37 weeks ' gestation reported less anxiety compared with those in control group.

The effect of olive oil on prevention of striae gravidarum: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Striae gravidarum (SG) is one of the cutaneous physiological changes during pregnancy with a high prevalence. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of olive oil in prevention of SG. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Health care centers and three Hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. PARTICIPANTS: 100 nulliparous pregnant women. INTERVENTIONS: Fifty women were randomly allocated to each study group. The treatment group received 1 cc topical olive oil twice a day to apply on the abdominal skin in a gentle manner without massaging it until the delivery. Control group did not receive any cream or oil during the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Development of SG and its severity was recorded at the end of the study. RESULTS: Although the frequency of severe SG was lower in the users of olive oil compared to the other group, no statistically significant difference was found between the two experimental groups and the control group in the incidence and the severity of SG. CONCLUSION: Olive oil reduces the incidence of severe SG and increases the incidence of mild SG, but it does not significantly reduce the incidence and the severity of SG and it could not be recommended for SG prevention.

Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

A 38-year-old Iraqi female, presented with one-year history of exertional dyspnea and exercise intolerance, without systemic or constitutional symptoms. Clinical examination revealed bilateral basal crackles with signs suggestive of left side pleural effusion, chest x-ray showed left sided pleural effusion, and diffuse bilateral basal pulmonary shadowing. Her biochemical analysis, hematological tests, electrocardiogram and echocardiography were normal, aspiration of the fluid revealed a chylothorax, the radiological shadowing was proved by computed tomography scan of the chest to be diffuse cystic lesions involving mostly the lower lobes. Open lung biopsy showed dilated lymphatic vessels with surrounding inflammatory cells and smooth muscle fibers consistently with the diagnosis of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis LAM.