فهرست مطالب رقیه نوری زاده

In the case of abnormal Pap smear, colposcopy is recommended. Women referred for colposcopy experience high levels of stress. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of supportive counseling on stress reduction in women undergoing colposcopy.

This quasi-experimental study was performed on 72 women undergoing colposcopy in Ardabil, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups. The intervention group received supportive counseling during three sessions ‎every three days. The control group only received a pamphlet containing information on colposcopy. The data were collected using perceived stress scale. Independent t-test, and ANCOVA were used to analyze the data.

There was no significant difference in demographic and obstetrics characteristics of the participants (P> 0.05). Before counseling, the mean score (SD) of stress in the intervention group was 35 (4.24) and it was 33.54 (5.13) in the control group (P= 0.217). After counseling, the mean score of stress was not significantly different between the two groups [AMD: 0.93, 95% CI: -1.40 to 3.27, p =0.428].

Supportive counseling could not reduce the stress. Using other stress management strategies such as cognitive restructuring and mindfulness in women undergoing colposcopy might worth for suggeting the future studies.

Preterm infants’ mothers experience higher level of anxiety and depression, and are more prone to postpartum depression compared to the mothers of term infants. This anxiety at the beginning of and during the breastfeeding process causes serious disorders. Given the fact that psychological interventions can reduce individuals’ problems, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy on mental health and breastfeeding self-efficacy of the preterm infants’ mothers.

In this randomized controlled trial, 90 mothers of preterm infants admitted to the neonatal ward and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of two university-affiliated hospitals in Tabriz in 2021 were examined. Participants were assigned to the intervention and control groups adopting stratified block randomization method. The intervention group received group counseling on ACT in eight 60-minute sessions, and the control group received routine care. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (BSES) were completed by the participants before and immediately after the intervention. ANCOVA test with adjustment of confounding variables was used to compare two groups regarding the outcomes.

The total mean score of BSE in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group (Mean difference (MD): 5.7; 95% CI: 4.6 to 6.8, P<0.001). Furthermore, the mean score of all subscales of mental health, including anxiety, stress, and depression in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.001).

The mental health and BSE of preterm infants’ mothers may have been improved using ACT. It was recommended that counselling sessions (e.g., ACT) should be offered for preterm infants’ mothers during postpartum period.

Preterm birth was a stressful event for parents and may have aroused negative emotions in mothers. Our study results showed that counseling based on acceptance and commitment therapy may have improved the mental health and breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers with preterm infants

Preterm infants’ mothers experience higher level of anxiety and depression, and are more prone to postpartum depression compared to the mothers of term infants. This anxiety at the beginning of and during the breastfeeding process causes serious disorders. Given the fact that psychological interventions can reduce individuals’ problems, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy on mental health and breastfeeding self-efficacy of the preterm infants’ mothers.

In this randomized controlled trial, 90 mothers of preterm infants admitted to the neonatal ward and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of two university-affiliated hospitals in Tabriz in 2021 were examined. Participants were assigned to the intervention and control groups adopting stratified block randomization method. The intervention group received group counseling on ACT in eight 60-minute sessions, and the control group received routine care. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (BSES) were completed by the participants before and immediately after the intervention. ANCOVA test with adjustment of confounding variables was used to compare two groups regarding the outcomes.

 The total mean score of BSE in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group (Mean difference (MD): 5.7; 95% CI: 4.6 to 6.8, P<0.001). Furthermore, the mean score of all subscales of mental health, including anxiety, stress, and depression in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.001).

 The mental health and BSE of preterm infants’ mothers may have been improved using ACT. It was recommended that counselling sessions (e.g., ACT) should be offered for preterm infants’ mothers during postpartum period.

Preterm birth was a stressful event for parents and may have aroused negative emotions in mothers. Our study results showed that counseling based on acceptance and commitment therapy may have improved the mental health and breastfeeding self-efficacy of mothers with preterm infants

Considering the relationship between the mother's young age and the fear of childbirth, the need for emotional support during labor is greater in teenage mothers than in older ones. This study aimed to compare the supportive effect of a doula during childbirth with a selected trained companion on the fear and satisfaction of childbirth in teenage mothers.

This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 54 primigravid teenage mothers who referred to Taleghani educational-therapeutic center, affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The participants were randomly divided into two groups of doula support (intervention) and selected companion support (control) during the active phase of labor up to two hours after delivery. The data collection tools included demographic and midwifery characteristics, Wijma's fear of childbirth questionnaire, McKay's childbirth satisfaction scale, and mothers' childbirth records. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 21 software using chi-square and ANCOVA tests.

The mean score of fear of birth was 64.11±20.1 in the doula group and 73.26±20.5 in the selected companion group; the difference between two groups was no significant (MD: -9.15, CI 95%: -19.9 to 1.65, p=0.1). However, the level of satisfaction with childbirth in the intervention group (73±14.7) was significantly higher than the control group (63.4±6) (MD: 9.6, CI 95%: 3.6 -15.6, p =0. 003).

Considering the effectiveness of the presence of a doula on reducing the fear of childbirth and on increasing the satisfaction of teenage mothers, it is suggested that the support by a doula be considered as one of the interventions of the Labor Department in teenager mothers.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Illness perception is Important issues affect cancer control and management. The aim of this study was to determine the illness perception and its predictors in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 190 women with breast cancer who referred to the oncology centers of Arak, Iran, for chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling method from September 2017 to May 2018. Data were collected using Demographic and disease characteristics questionnaires, and Illness Perception Questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS ver.24, one-way ANOVA, independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate linear regression.

The mean (standard deviation) score of illness perception was 38.9 (13.1) (range from 0-80). There was no significant difference in terms of illness perception between patients in the chemotherapy and radiotherapy groups (p>0.05). The type of breast disease and the last time the cancer diagnosed, spouse’s age were predictors of perception of illness.

According to less stress and perception of illness with spending a period of time since diagnosing a disease, more psychosocial and social support is required to adjust the breast cancer at early stages of the disease.

Breastfeeding is an important public health strategy due to its benefits in reducing the morbidity and mortality of infants and helping to control health care costs.
Breastfeeding with various macronutrients and micronutrients plays its nutritional and biological roles in optimal growth and development of the infant. Based on the importance of breastfeeding, this study aimed to determine the levels of macronutrients in mature human milk, and the affecting factors.

This case-control study was performed in Tabriz during September-February in 2018. A total of 102 women who were delivered by cesarean section or vaginal delivery were selected using convenience sampling. Breast milk samples were collected at 15 ± 1 day postpartum, and using the Lactoscan, milk macronutrients (lactose, fat, protein) and milk energy were measured.

Mean lactose, protein, lipid, and energy mature human milk’s in both groups were (7.30) g/ml, (2.78) g/ml, (3.65) g/ml, and (68.81) kcal/ml, respectively.
Factors affecting breast milk lactose and fat levels included mother's current weight, infant's birth weight, and delivery mode.

The results of this study showed that variables such as delivery mode predict the levels of macronutrients in breast milk. Due to the importance of macronutrients for infant growth and health, paying attention to these factors, especially promoting vaginal delivery, is important.

Some women, throughout their life cycle, experience unintended pregnancy and had to decide on continuing or terminating it. Although the decision-making process always recurs, few studies have so far shed light on this complex, and context-based process. The aim of the present study was to explore Iranian women’s decision-making process to abort or continue an unintended pregnancy.

Methods & Materials:

 This was a qualitative study using grounded theory approach. Data were collected through unstructured, in-depth interviews with 29 participants in Tabriz from March 2016 to May 2017. The participants were selected through the purposeful sampling method and data collection were continued until reaching data saturation. Data analysis was carried out concurrently with the data collection, using the MAXQDA software version 10.

Data analysis gave rise to four axial categories: “perceived threats”, “resistance mixed with indecision”, “values and supportive resources”, as well as “acceptance and confirmation of decision”. This means that the decision-making process among women with unintended pregnancy initially starts with a perceived threat as a main concern leading to their resistance towards accepting such a pregnancy, then exposure to threats arising from abortion can cause indecision and uncertainty in practicing abortion. In this respect, given the social support, women affected by religious values make efforts to choose the procedure with the least harm and threats and maximum acceptability and confirmability. “Confirmation of decision” is as well the outcome of the interactive process of decision-making.

What can differentiate the theory of decision-making on abortion or continuation of an unintended pregnancy from the general theories of decision-making is its sociocultural confirmability. Social acceptance of abortion and childbearing in line with moral evaluation of fetal development directs the confirmability process of decision-making about unintended pregnancy.

Unwanted pregnancies and sexual health problems, and consequently illicit abortions and sexually transmitted diseases, may also occur among adolescents. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated various interventions that were used in studies to prevent unwanted pregnancy among adolescents through a systematic review.
An extensive literature search was conducted using the Google Scholar, Cochran Library, SID, Magiran, Web of Science, Scopus, Pubmed, e-learning databases on clinical trials conducted during 1990 and 2018. To evaluate the quality of the studies, the Cochran tools for RCT were used. Finally, 15 studies were selected for systematic review.
Overall, based on findings from the review of related articles, interventions to reduce unplanned pregnancies in adolescents were categorized as follows: (i) interventions focusing on contraceptive methods, (ii) interventions focusing on the impact of preventive training including health education, individual and group counseling and parent education, (iii) multiple interventions that included a combination of interventions focusing on promoting contraceptive methods and preventive training.
Evidence provided by this ystematic reiew supports the use of educational and preventive interventions focusing on multiple interventions to reduce adolescent pregnancies, but there is a need for a proper framework, infrastructure, and resources for the success of these interventions.

Mammography is the most effective way for early detection of malignant breast masses. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a context-based measurement tool for assessing determinants of doing mammography through inductive approach.
The present study was a sequential exploratory study. In the first phase the determinants of doing mammography were explored using the content analysis approach. The data were collected via 21 semi-structured interviews by 15 participants in Urmia, Iran. In the second phase the statements were formed based on the meaning units, which extracted from qualitative section. The validity of the instruments was assessed using face, content and constructs validity assessment methods. For evaluation of face validity, qualitative and quantitative (item impact score) methods were used. The content validity was assessed by 10 experts. The construct validity was calculated by exploratory factor analysis. The sample size was calculated by multiplying the number of items by five. Internal consistency, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to assess the reliability of the instruments.
An instrument had 7 components and 34 statements. The components of the instrument included: beliefs, access, knowledge, action cues, emotions, self-care and life priorities. Seven components explained 57.28% of variance. The instrument was found to have high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.78) and adequate test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.91).
The present instrument is a comprehensive measure related to determinants of doing mammography. It could help to determine factors influencing mammography and conduct interventions to improve women’s behavior for doing g mammography.

Many women throughout their life cycle experience unintended pregnancy and need to decide on continuing or terminating it. In addition, elective abortion is illegal and forbidden in some countries and hence, unintended pregnancy is a matter of great sensitivity and importance for women who live in such countries. Currently, there is no measurement tool for assessing women’s decision-making status facing an unintended pregnancy. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a measure for assessing women’s decision-making about their unintended pregnancies.
The present study was a sequential exploratory study. In the first section, the decision-making process of unintended pregnant women was explored using the content analysis approach. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview by 23 participants in Tabriz. In the second section, items were formed based on the meaning units, which extracted from qualitative section. The validity of the instruments was assessed using face, content and constructs validity. For evaluation of face validity, qualitative and quantitative (item impact score) methods were used. The content validity was assessed by 15 experts. The construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis. The sample size was calculated by multiplying the number of items by ten. Internal consistency, and Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to assess the reliability of the instruments.
The instrument had 4 components and 27 items. The components of the instrument included: avoidance-justification strategies, resistance against accepting the pregnancy, analytical strategies and confirmatory strategies. Four components explained 50.81% of variance. The instrument was found to have high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.86) and adequate test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.94).
The present instrument a valid measure related to unintended pregnant women’s decision-making.

Job satisfaction is one of the most important variables in organizational behavior and the key variable in organizational researches and theories as well. The aim of present investigation was to determine the level of job satisfaction among health sector staff of Tabriz Taleghani Educational Hospital.
Material and This cross-sectional study was performed in 2014. Health sector staffs of Taleghani Educational Hospital were studied through census method. Data collection tool was a questionnaire based on previous studies and consisted of 3 parts: demographic information (7 items), job satisfaction (21 questions) and factors related to employee dissatisfaction (10 items). After collecting and entering data into IBM SPSS software, independent t tests, chi-square and ANOVA were applied.
The highest level of job satisfaction was in the field of relationship with colleagues and lowest level of job satisfaction was related to salary and benefits. The most common cause of employee dissatisfaction was pressure and stressful working environment and the least cause was the improper distribution of employees based on workload.
According to the findings, the majority of job satisfaction among staff was at low and medium-level. Since job satisfaction is an important factor in the performance and quality of services provided by the hospital staff, it is recommended that managers and officials pay attention to defects and shortcomings and remove barriers.

Objective (s): Pregnancy is the transition to parenthood. Being mentally prepared is essential for successful psychosocial adaptation to pregnancy. So، an unplanned pregnancy challenges the self-sufficiency and control expected of women. The main focus of this study was to provide a better understanding of women’s coping with an unplanned pregnancy

The data were collected through 23 semi-structured in depth interviews from May to September 2013 in Tabriz and analyzed using descriptive-interpretive approach of content analysis. The participants were 15 women having a recent unplanned pregnancy، interviewed from the 20th week of gestation until 40 days after childbirth. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was conducted using MAXQDA 2007.

Findings fell into four main themes: initial negative reactions، social rejection of abortion، values and religious beliefs and post-continue conflicts indicating negative reactions when facing with an unplanned pregnancy. Although socio-cultural context of Iran helped women to copy with an unplanned pregnancy، post-continue conflicts remained.

Unplanned pregnancy for women begins with initial negative reactions and leads to the post-continue conflicts. These findings highlight the importance of promoting primary prevention of unplanned pregnancy and also designing secondary prevention programs to help positive coping with such pregnancies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2009) reported that since women’s experiences of induced abortion are poorly known, examining the effectiveness of current policies and planning for the future are difficult. Due to illegality of induced abortion in Iran and the significant knowledge gap in this area, the present study was designed.

The data were collected through 23 semi-structured in-depth interviews from May to September 2013 in Tabriz, Iran, and analyzed using descriptive-interpretive approach of content analysis. The participants were 15 women who had recently undergone an induced abortion (during the past year). All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was conducted simultaneously to data collection and using MAXQDA 2007.

Findings fell into three main themes: individual reflections, gaining social support, and postabortion conflicts. This means that the study participants, when facing an unplanned pregnancy, showed negative reactions and had some concerns. Then, they begin to gain social support for having an abortion. Due to the incompatibleness of abortion with religious beliefs and values, post-abortion conflict was a common experience.

Unplanned pregnancy for women begins with initial negative reactions and leads to postabortion conflicts. These findings highlight the importance of psychological support of women with unplanned pregnancies, prevention of unwanted pregnancy occurrence, and designing secondary prevention programs.

Objective (s): Most women، over the life cycle، experience an unintended pregnancy. A substantial proportion of unwanted pregnancies are resolved by abortion worldwide. The issue that abortions do not occur in a social vacuum، highlight the importance of understanding the reasons why women seek abortion especially in different socio-cultural contexts. The main focus of this study was to provide a better understanding why Azeri women (in Tabriz، Iran) facing unintended pregnancy seek abortion. The data were collected through 31 semi-structured in depth interviews from April to November 2012 and were analyzed using content analysis. The participants were 23 women seeking for abortion selected through purposeful sampling. All interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was conducted using the MAXQDA 2007 software. Findings fell into two main themes: perception and expectation of negative impact on life and violation of childbearing norms. Perceived threat، that is women facing unintended pregnancies، was found to be the central theme and was related to their circumstances، including their individual characteristics، socioeconomic and health status experience the spectrum of concerns and threats. Although pregnancy and childbearing mean life and regeneration but when occur untimely and unexpectedly، for most women it means threat that could result in seeking an induced abortion. Women facing unplanned pregnancy need more family and social supports.

Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce risk of morbidity and overall mortality. A study has displayed that achieving 10000 steps per day is associated with important health outcomes and have been used to promote physical activity. The aim of this study was to compare physical activity reported through pedometer (step counts) with physical activity reported by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). In this cross-sectional study, 200 employed women of Tabriz University (Tabriz, Iran) were selected by convenience randomly sampling method. Data were collected by using IPAQ to measure objective physical activity and pedometer to assess subjective physical activity. The physical activity guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day (30 min MVPA/day) were used for comparing. According to step counts, 48.8% of the participants were low-active. As assessed by the IPAQ, the guideline of 30 min MVPA/day was reached 86.6% and results of two instruments were not similar. Also, there was not seen significantly correlation between results of objective and subjective instruments of physical activity. Probably, this study was the first study assessed women physical activity by using pedometer compared with IPAQ in Iran. The results indicated that self-reported physical activity based on IPAQ was higher than step count; thus, there was not agreement between subjective and objective instruments of physical activity. It seems that researchers consider overloading results when using IPQA.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and the second cause of death due to women’s cancer after the lung cancer. Early detection is very crucial in improving the outcomes and survival rates. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent educational program based on health belief model (HBM) can change women’s health beliefs and behaviors of breast cancer screening. In a quasi-experimental study, 219 women referred to Health Care Centers in Tabriz were divided into case and control groups through cluster random sampling. Data were collected by using a self-administered questionnaire consisted of 4 sections: demographic characteristics, knowledge of the breast cancer and related screening methods, health beliefs and behaviors of screening. Three months after the intervention, the two groups sat for posttest. Post intervention, there was a remarkable increase within the experimental group in perceived seriousness (P=0.02), threat (P=0.01) and benefit (P<0.001). However, within the control group there was a significant increase in perceived sensitivity (P=0.01) and a decrease in perceived seriousness (P=0.01). Moreover, there was a 15.4% increase in the frequency of breast screening examination in the experimental group. Overall, the screening behaviors in post intervention was significantly different between the two groups (P=0.03). The culturally-sensitive educational intervention based on HBM was to some extent effective in alteration of the health beliefs and screening behaviors. In future educational programs, it seems that focusing on perceived sensitivity enhancement and reducing the perceived barriers would have an important effect on mammography practice in long time follow up.

AIDS affects over 7400 people per day، more than 97% of which occurs in low and middle income countries. According to the statistics of the Health Ministry of Iran، the overall number of HIV+ in the country has been 20547 persons up to 22 December 2009. Injection addiction and sexual relationships accounted for (respectively) 70. 5% and 17. 9% of newly infected cases with HIV (814 persons) in 2009، that shows an increased transmission by high risk sexual behaviors. It should be considered as a serious alarm for the country against the intensification of AIDS’ undesirable impacts on the society. The aim of this paper is to study the legal challenges and unfulfilled wishes of the Iranian adolescents concerning AIDS so that the ground is brought about to prevent the increase process of its infection cases by presenting solutions if possible.

Selecting the sex of children for nonmedical purposes raises complicated questions of sexism and gender stereotyping, procreative liberty, the allocation of medical resources and depending on the method used, respect for the earliest stages of human life. There is discriminatory potential in selecting the sex of first children, but its ethical assessment is different when come to increase gender variety in a family with no sex discrimination circumstances. So, nonmedical sex selection throughout PGD without disproportionally sex preference seems unproblematic if some concerns are respected.

Unwanted pregnancy is one of the important public health issues in the world which will cause a lot of worriness and stress for mother، wife and possibly for the child if pregnancy continues for a period of time. Unintended pregnancies account for 34 percent of all cases of pregnancy in Iran; with 16 percent as unwanted and 18 percent mistimed. There is no certain rate regarding induced and unsafe abortion in Iran annually، an estimated 73000 induced abortions are performed by married women who are illegal and unsafe. Unsafe abortion is now considered as a problem of women’s health، the subject of public health and women’s rights. Therefore، preventing unsafe abortion and its consequences are considered as executive and research priorities. This review article is compiled and written based on a literature review، the guidelines presented by WHO and International Federation of Family Planning. The aim of this article is to study the subject of induced abortion of the fetus in Iran and existing challenges to familiarize rhetoricians and legislators to change the viewpoints in this regard on one hand، and to pave the way to remove the dilemmas and to prevent the increasing rate of unsafe abortions with presenting solutions. A decree cannot be issued without paying attention to basic and valuable beliefs of a society regarding an issue، nor can right decisions be made while disregarding the necessaries arisen from the facts of individual and collective lives in the contemporary world. Therefore، the verdicts of religious scholars and lawful licenses regarding abortion in hardship and obligation before infusion the soul make the logical and flexible revision of related Acts so necessary that they can meet the updated needs of society.

One of the disorders, which has worried couples, is the issue of infertility that totally would have deep effect on social and family relationships. It is the third reason of divorce in Iran, demands to use ART. Surrogacy is one of the most challenging methods in this regard with some religious, social, ethical and legal issues that should not be ignored to achieve successful outcomes. The objectives of this article are: 1) To address the challenges of surrogacy in Iran 2) To reduce problems relating to surrogacy 3) To suggest some solutions in this regard. In this paper, we review the current state of the health literature on surrogacy and its challenges, and also translate English papers and thesis and benefit the experiences of other countries regarding surrogacy to change attitudes and pave the way. Recently, accommodating towards medical progresses, Most Shiite scholars have issued jurisprudential decrees (fatwas) that allow surrogate motherhood as a treatment for infertility, albeit only for legal couples that permit new law passed by the Iranian Parliament to meet needs in access to ART. It is undenyable that Ethical committees have an important role in supervision of surrogacy to confirm its validity.

An increasing trend in the rate of cesarean section has been observed during the past years. Due to the surgical complications, vaginal delivery is preferred as a favorite procedure. However, women's attitudes play an effective role in this regard. WHO reported that 15% of childbirths in the world have indication for cesarean section. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of selection of cesarean section and its contributing factors in the pregnant women in Marand. In this cross - sectional study by convenience sampling, 450 pregnant women were face to face interviewed in three primary health care centers, two obstetric clinic, and two midwifery clinics in Marand, 2007. The questionnaire included some questions regarding demographic characteristics, fertility history, selection of mode of delivery and its reasons. Chi square test and independent t - test were used for statistical analysis using SPSS 13 and CIA software’s. In this study, 33.1% of all cases were selected cesarean section. Education, Previous history of cesarean section and referral place for control of pregnancy were associated with selection of mode of delivery (P<0.05). The reasons for selection of cesarean section were fear of labor pain, physician recommendation and history of previous cesarean. We concluded that rate of selection of the cesarean section was high therefore an educational program is essential at changing attitude about cesarean section.

One of the effective methods in family planning is sterilization of women. However, some women who choose this method may later suffer from a neurotic syndrome, which is demonstrated by pain, depression, hypochondriasis and loss of libido. With respect to the long-term psychological sequelae of sterilization, among which post-operation regret tops the rest, this study was designed to determine post-operation regret rates, request for reversal and attempt to reverse the operation, as well as secondary objectives, rates of depression and anxiety.

The study design was a descriptive-analytical one, in which 150 steri-lized women, who had been operated 1-10 years prior to the study, were selected through cluster random sampling. Data collection was done by two questionnaires:1) A questionnaire on demog-raphic characteristics and post-sterilization regret and 2) Zung self-rating depression and anxiety scale. The data were analyzed by SPSS, version 11.5.

In this study, 6% of the sterilized women expressed regret and 2.7% requested a reversal surgery. None of the subjects had undergone a reversal surgery. 13.3% and 24.7% of the sterilized women had some degrees of depression and anxiety respectively. The means of depre-ssion and anxiety scores were significantly lower in women who expressed adequate post-sterilization rest (p=0.008 and p=0.02 respectively).

The results of this research, as well as personality differences and adaptability to changes, revealed that pre-sterilization counseling and post-sterilization follow-ups have an important role in women's psychological health promotion.