mahdieh kiani

Postpartum depression has a negative effect on maternal health and adverse effect on psychological development of newborns. Also patterns and personality traits can also be associated with postpartum depression. This study aimed to determine the role of social support and Personality in the incidence of postpartum depression.

This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 200 mothers referred to health centers by available sampling method between 6 weeks to 6 months after delivery. Data were collected using a Questionnaire Personal Information, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS, 1987), NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI, 1985) and Social Support Questionnaire Philips (1977).

Postpartum depression was observed in 49 (24.5%) of mothers. Neuroticism had the highest relationship with postpartum depression. The correlation coefficient of this variable with postpartum depression was 52% and this variable alone was 27% of the variance. There was a significant negative relationship between postpartum depression and social support (r= -0.027, P<0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between postpartum depression and neuroticism (r= 0.52, P<0.01).

This study showed that personality traits and social support are two important factors in relation to postpartum depression.

The key role of leptin is regulation of appetite and body lipid and pregnancy is a condition associated with overeating, reduction in heating and adaptation of lipid cells, culminating in increased body fat mass. So, this study was conducted to examine the relationship between changes in pre-pregnancy BMI and leptin.

This Longitudinal study was conducted on 45 women in the first trimester of pregnancy using a longitudinal approach and convenience sampling method in Tehran city in 2015. The mothers in terms of pre-pregnancy BMI were divided into two groups: group A (n=22 with normal BMI) and group B (n=23 with high BMI), with maternal serum leptin being taken in 6-12 weeks and 15-20 weeks of pregnancy and measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The statistical data were analyzed by SPSS V.21 using Kolmogorov Smirnov, independent t-test, two-sample Chi square, Mann-Whitney, Regression, Pearson and Landa tests with P.V<0.05.

The mean age of mothers in the present study was 27.47±5.55 years with a minimum age of 19 and a maximum age of 37 years. The mean plasma leptin of the first and second trimesters of pregnancy was significantly higher in the high BMI group than in the normal group. The correlation showed that the first trimester leptin and changes in leptin levels of pregnancy with pre-pregnancy BMI were significantly higher in the normal group (P=0.04 and P=0.003).

BMI before and during pregnancy can be a predictor of maternal serum leptin in pregnancy weight gain.

Objective (s): Physiological edema of pregnancy is a common finding in pregnancy and there are several interventions to control it. As such the feet elevation is one of the most common approaches. However, this approach may cause some limitations. Thus, the use of massage as a new therapy is increasing. The present study was performed to compare the effectiveness of massage and feet elevation on physiological edema of pregnancy. In this study, 180 healthy pregnant women non-randomly assigned to 3 groups: massage group, feet elevation group and control group. Massage group received 20 minutes feet massage and the feet elevation group received feet elevation for 20 minutes. The study was performed during 5 days. Edema was measured before and after interventions and was compared among three groups. There were significant differences among three groups in terms of the mean rate of change of the circumferences. However, this change was greater for the massage group. The results indicated that compared with feet elevation, massage has greater impact on pregnancy edema.

One of the most common and annoying problems during pregnancy is physiological foot edema that may cause activity restrictions during pregnancy for pregnant women. Present study aimed to determine the effect of foot massage on physiological edema during pregnancy. This study was non-randomized clinical trial and performed in 2012. 120 pregnant women aged 20 to 35 years were non randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Treatment group, received 20 minutes daily foot massage during 5 days. Data were analyzes using SPSS statistical software, independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Foot edema measured by using a measuring non- elastic tape on the leg. The results indicates a statistically significant difference between the average of the feet environments (around the ankle, heel and metatarsal joints between the finger bones) in both treatment and control groups (P<0.001). The results of this study showed that massage therapy is effective in reducing physiological edema during pregnancy. Therefor the lower limb massage can be performed by trained midwives and as a useful, low risk and low cost method in prenatal clinics or pregnant women homes.