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Background: Cardiovascular diseases could be preventable; as a result, understanding the risk factors was regarded as the major priority for healthcare providers. Objective: The main objective of this research was to achieve a deeper insight into the effect of long-term use of low-dose oral contraceptive pills (OCP) on the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. Materials and Methods: This research was a retrospective cohort conducted (historical and prospectively) conducted on 100 women with normal menstrual cycles aged 15 to 35 yr, who were referred to the healthcare centers in Yazd, Iran. The participants were categorized into two groups: The OCP group was consuming the pills for 3, 4-23, and 24-36 months, and the non-OCP group. Participants were followed up for a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of six months. Results: The highest level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), homocysteine, cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and systolic blood pressure was observed in the OCP group in the duration of 24 to 36 months. The Tukey’s test demonstrated that there were comprehensible differences in the LDL (p = 0.01), cholesterol (p = 0.01), triglyceride (p < 0.001), and homocysteine levels (p < 0.001), also systolic blood pressure (p = 0.04). Conclusion: It was realized that the long-term consumption of low-dose OCP can augment the incidence of some risk factors (systolic blood pressure, homocysteine levels, cholesterol, LDL-c, and triglyceride) and lead to developing cardiovascular diseases amongst the healthy women. Key words: Birth control pills, Homocysteine, Nitric oxide, Dyslipidemias, Coronary artery diseases.

Background: Consuming oral contraceptive pills is one of the methods for preventing pregnancy worldwide. As using the pills has always caused the greatest concern for the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases and also given the limited conducted studies in this regard, this study was carried out to determine the impacts of low dose birth control pills on plasma levels of nitric oxide, homocysteine, and lipid profiles in the exposed vs. non exposed women as the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Methods: This was a combined cohort study conducted on 100 women, having the age range 20-35 years and normal menstrual cycles, referred to the health care centers in Yazd, Iran. The demographic data were obtained through face to face interviews performed by the researcher. Anthropometric indexes were measured and biochemical factors were determined by testing blood samples. Then, using SPSS 16 and statistical independent ttest and Chi-square, the data were analyzed. Results: The mean ± standard deviations of plasma levels of homocysteine, nitric oxide, cholesterol, triglyceride, Low Density Lipoprotein, and High Density Lipoprotein levels in the group consumed low dose contraceptive pills were 3.84 ± 2.35 μmol/l, 181.36 ± 90.44 μM, 180.7 ± 38.28 mg/dl, 129.82 ± 47.92 mg/ dl, 101.42 ± 30.66 mg/dl, and 56.46 ± 8.42 mg/dl, There were significant statistical differences between those consuming the pills and those not consuming the pills regarding cholesterol (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Consuming Low Dose contraceptive pills can increase the plasma levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, and Low Density Lipoprotein levels; i.e. this condition is called dyslipidemia. On the other hand, there were no changes in the levels of homocysteine and nitric oxide in the healthy women consuming the pills; therefore, the pills may not develop cardiovascular diseases in healthy women. Accordingly, it is recommended that the health care providers prescribe the pills for the women with cautions.

Background Dental trauma is common among children. It has negative effects on a child’s quality of life. Parental knowledge, especially among mothers is an important factor for the long-term success of this emergency. This study aimed to investigate mothers’ knowledge and self-reported performance regarding the management of traumatic dental injuries and associated socio-demographic factors. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 277 mothers of children (8–12 years) attending the pediatrics department of Alborz dental school were studied by convenience sampling. The participants completed a valid reliable questionnaire about the management of traumatic dental injuries. The predictor variables were the child’s gender, maternal education and employment status, economic status, and accommodation status. The outcome variables were the mothers’ knowledge about the management of traumatic dental injuries (Eight statements with 10 scores) and self-reported performance including four case scenarios of traumatic dental injury (Five questions with 7 scores). Data were analyzed by T-test or One-way ANOVA to test the within-group changes, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Linear multiple regression to examine the effect of predictor variables on maternal knowledge and self-reported performance. Results The mean score of mothers’ knowledge was 3.43; SD = 1.58 (total score ranged from 0 to 10). The mean score of mothers’ performance was 3.38; SD = 1.2 (total score ranged from 0 to 7). Mothers who work (p < 0.001) and mothers with high qualifications (p < 0.001) had higher knowledge. Furthermore, mothers who work (p = 0.011), mothers with high qualifications (p < 0.001), and those who have had previous experience with traumatic dental injuries (p < 0.001) had higher self-reported performance. The results of multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated the association between mothers’ knowledge with mothers’ education (β = 0.22, p = 0.001) and mothers’ employment status (β = 0.15, p = 0.017), while there is a relationship between mothers’ self-reported performance and mothers’ education (β = 0.27, p < 0.001). Conclusion Since the means of mothers’ knowledge and performance scores regarding dental trauma management, were less than half of the obtainable scores as well as mothers have a crucial role in the children’s oral health, it is important to increase the mothers’ knowledge and improve their performance in this context. Therefore, running educational programs is necessary for this respect.