Based on the results, perinatal fish oil supplementation is beneficial for the communication domain of neurodevelopment of 4-month-old infants. The study results relating to the supplementation effect on other domains are inconclusive. There ought to be further studies with up-to-date lipidomic analysis to find biochemical correlate compared to an intervention and developmental finding.

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Postpartum anxiety and depression are prevalent disorders. The authors of this study aimed to determine the effects of zinc and magnesium supplements on depressive symptoms and anxiety in postpartum women referred to three governmental, educational hospitals in Tabriz, Iran during 2014-2015. In this triple-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial, the participants were randomly assigned to the zinc sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and placebo groups (n = 33 per group). The intervention groups received a 27-mg zinc sulfate tablet or 320-mg magnesium sulfate tablet per day for 8 weeks, whereas the control group received a placebo tablet each day during the same period. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were completed before and 8 weeks after the intervention. Blood samples were drawn from each participant to determine serum levels of zinc and magnesium before intervention at 48 hours after delivery. Also, a 24-hour dietary questionnaire was used during the first and last 3 days of the intervention. Adjusting for baseline scores as well as zinc and magnesium serum levels, no significant difference was observed between groups 8 weeks after delivery in mean scores of depressive symptoms (p = .553), state anxiety (p = .995), and trait anxiety (p = .234). This study concluded magnesium and zinc did not reduce postpartum anxiety and depressive symptoms.

This trial compared the effects of lavender and bitter orange on sleep quality in postmenopausal women. This trial was conducted in 2015. Eligible postmenopausal women were allocated into one of two intervention groups or a control group (n = 52 per group) in a 1:1:1 ratio using a randomized block design. Intervention groups received 500 mg capsules containing only bitter orange or lavender flower powder, and the control group received 500 mg capsules containing starch. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory was used before and eight weeks after starting the intervention. Data analyses were based on intention to treat. A one-way ANOVA showed a slightly significant difference in mean sleep score among the three groups before the intervention (p = .045). The general linear model, adjusted for baseline sleep score and confounding factors, showed significant differences among the groups in the mean sleep score after eight weeks of treatment (p < .001). Bitter orange and lavender significantly improved the mean sleep score compared with the control group (p < .001 and p = .003, respectively). The positive effect of bitter orange and lavender on sleep quality in postmenopausal women suggests that they can be used to improve sleep quality in such women.

Pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with probability of gestational and post-delivery depression. Therefore, training and planning to conduct required interventions to resolve obesity seem be helpful in this regard.

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