Vaginal progesterone has a potential beneficial effect in postponing of preterm labor by suppression of prostaglandins cascades. Although different studies evaluated the use of progesterone for preterm birth, the exact effect of which on prolongation of pregnancy remains unclear. Seventy two women who underwent preterm labor were managed by magnesium sulfate. Then they were randomly assigned to continue pregnancy either by applying vaginal progesterone (400 mg) until delivery or without using any drug. Gestational age mean at the time of delivery (P = 0.039) and postponing delivery mean time (P = 0.048) were significantly higher in progesterone group. Comparison of neonatal outcomes between two groups of patients showed meaningful benefits of progesterone in increasing of neonatal weight, reduction of low birth weight babies, and lowing neonate admitted in NICU.

10.30699/jambs.28.131.296 Background & Objective: Doulas can ease labor and delivery in a hospital);however, in Iran, few studies have been conducted on this topic because of the cultural and structural boundaries. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of a doula's presence on anxiety and pain in pregnant women during the delivery process. Materials & Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 80 pregnant women referred to Ayatollah Musavi Hospital (Zanjan, Iran) in 2016. For women in the intervention group, the doula provided emotional and physical support. The mothers' pain severity and anxiety were measured by using a visual analog scale (VAS) and Spielberger questionnaire, respectively. Categorical and continuous variables were compared using chi-square and t tests, respectively. Results: We found that a higher proportion of patients had experienced mild anxiety about entering the postpartum period (47.5% vs 15%) and exiting it (80% vs 40%; P<0.05) compared to the control group. Also, the mean VAS score was significantly higher in the control group at 4-5 cm (86.5±11.39 vs 78.62±14.0; P=0.007) and 7-8 cm of cervical dilatation (99.0±4.41 vs 95.0±8.47; P=0.01) stages. Conclusion: The presence of a trained doula during labor can ease the mental consequences of delivery and decrease women's anxiety and pain during labor.