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Little is known about intimate partner abuse (IPA) among couples during pregnancy in Iran. This study aimed to compare the rates of IPA by pregnant women towards their husbands (perpetration), and women’s experience of IPA from their husbands (victimization) and determine the predictors of the two behaviours. The cross-sectional study was conducted on 525 pregnant women at 24–30 weeks of gestation visiting governmental health care centres/posts in Tabriz, Iran, in 2014. The study sample was selected using random cluster sampling. The Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) was used to assess IPA perpetration and victimization. The McNemar test was employed to compare the prevalences of IPA perpetration and victimization, and adjusted logistic regression was utilized to determine the socio-demographic predictors of overall IPA perpetration and victimization. The overall rates of women’s reported abuse of their husbands (perpetration) and women’s experience of abuse from their husbands (victimization) were 70% and 67%, respectively, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.086). The prevalence of psychological aggression perpetrated by women towards their husbands was significantly higher than that experienced by the women from their husbands (65% vs 58%, p<0.001). The prevalences of sexual coercion (15% vs 30%) and injury (8% vs 16%) perpetrated by women on their husbands were significantly lower those they experienced by the women from their husbands (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the prevalence of perpetration of physical violence towards husbands by women (19%) and that experienced by women from their husbands (22%) (p=0.072). Women’s and husbands’ satisfaction with their own occupations were predictors of both perpetration and victimization of IPA. The observed high rates of IPA perpetration by, women and victimization of, women during pregnancy, and the significantly higher rate of violence towards women compared with that perpetrated by women, especially for sexual coercion and injury, require health policymakers and care providers to make serious efforts to identify such violence, and take appropriate measures to reduce it, during pregnancy in women in Iran.

Background: Leg muscle cramps (LMCs) and sleep disorders are a common problem during pregnancy, and may be correlated. Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine the features of LMCs and sleep quality as well as their association in the third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 439 pregnant women referred to health centers/posts of Tabriz, Iran, in 2014. The participants were selected through double stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected by using a socio-demographic questionnaire, Pittsburgh sleep quality index and leg muscle cramp characteristics questionnaire. Chi-square, Independent t, Pearson and Spearman correlation and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for data analysis. Results: The mean ± SD total sleep quality score was 8.8 ± 3.9, within a possible score range of 0 to 21. About 84% of the women had sleep quality disturbances. LMCs were observed in more than half of the participants and there was a statistically significant correlation between the occurrence of LMCs and total sleep quality score (P = 0.001) and sub domains of sleep disturbances and daytime dysfunction (P < 0.001). There was also a significant relationship between occurrence of sleep quality disturbances and occurrence of LMCs (P = 0.006). Conclusions: The present study showed that leg muscle cramps and sleep disorder are common during pregnancy and sleep quality disturbances are correlated with occurrence of leg muscle cramps. Prevention and treatment actions should be considered in the prenatal care.

Background: Nursing occupation can be stressful, with various practical factors, and nurse creativity plays a significant role in clinical nursing success. This study aims to determine nurses' association of socio-demographic characteristics and creativity with occupational stress. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 200 nurses working in teaching hospitals in Ilam, Iran in 2019. Sampling was performed by the simple random method. Data collection tools included socio-demographic, job stress, and Abedi creativity questionnaire (CT). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software v.21. One-way ANOVA and independent t-test were used to compare the mean occupational stress scores among different sociodemographic groups. The Pearson correlation test investigated the associations between occupational stress and creativity, and a general linear model was used to determine a correlation between occupational stress and soci-demographic characteristics. Results: About 73% of nurses had low and 25% had no occupational stress (score: >3.5), There was correlation between occupational stress and creativity (p>0.001, r= 0.25) and sub-domains: fluidity (p >0.001, r= 0.26), innovation (p= 0.003, r= 0.20), and flexibility (r = 0.25, p <0.001). There was significant correlation between occupational stress and socio-demographic characteristics, including education status, work experience, number of night shifts per month, and satisfaction with hospital employment. Conclusion: we concluded that health managers should help with spoting creativity to solve health system problems by providing a stress-free environment.