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Introduction: It is plausible that pregnancy may result in a decrease in the serum zinc concentration. The concentration of serum zinc is an important determinant of maternal complications. The aim of the current study was to identify serum zinc concentration and evaluate the possible correlation of this concentration with the length of first and second stage of labor in the pregnancy.

Methods: In an observational prospective study, 432 pregnant women, 18 to 35 years of age, from urban primary health care centers in Tehran (Iran) were selected through a multi-stage sampling method and sampling proportionate to size. The blood samples were obtained for the measurement of maternal serum of iron and zinc in healthy singleton pregnancy between 14 to 20 weeks of gestational age, which was accomplished through electro-thermal atomic absorption spectrometry and zinc the standard procedure, respectively. Meanwhile, the length of the stages of labor was also recorded. Serum zinc and serum iron concentrations during early pregnancy, which are associated with prolonged labor, were also analyzed.

Results: Maternal zinc and iron deficiency during pregnancy were found to be around 28.7% and 16.0%, respectively. The overall proportion of prolonged labor was 13.5%. The women with prolonged labor significantly had lower zinc concentration (p=0.03), However, there was no association between prolonged labor and zinc/ iron deficiency after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion: The findings of the current study indicated that a high prevalence of zinc deficiency was identified among the pregnant women in the second stage of pregnancy. Therefore, it is important to emphasize the need for further research for the evaluation of potential risk factors for maternal complications.

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Background: Preterm labor is a leading cause of fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. There are various kinds of drugs used to suppress the preterm labor, but they are not thoroughly effective. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of oral nifedipine with intravenous magnesium sulfate in delaying the preterm labor.

Methods: A randomized, clinical trial was conducted in a hospital in Babol, Iran. One hundred twenty singleton pregnant women with preterm labor, 24-37 weeks of gestation, were randomly assigned to receive oral nifedipine or intravenous magnesium sulfate. The main outcome of the study was the inhibition of uterine and the secondary outcome was the side effect related to drugs and neonatal outcome. The data were analyzed with SPSS software, using chi-squared test and independent t test.

Results: According to the results, in 35% of women in the nifedipine group and 23.3% of women in the magnesium sulfate group, the inhibited uterine contraction was less than 48 hours. Also, in 65.0% of women in the nifedipine group and 76.7% of women in the magnesium sulfate group, the inhibited uterine contraction was more than 48 hours. There was no significant difference between the nifedipine and the magnesium sulfate groups in the inhibition of uterine contraction in both less and more than 48 hours. The total side effects of medication were found to be lower in patients receiving oral nifedipine than those who received intravenous magnesium sulfate. (26.6 vs. 45.0) (p= 0.036). There was no significant difference in neonatal outcome between the two groups.

Conclusion: Oral nifedipine should be a suitable alternative to intravenous magnesium sulfate in suppression preterm labor with fewer side effects. 

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Background: Shortening the interval between the onset of labor and delivery is useful for both mothers and fetuses. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of dexamethasone on the augmentation and the duration of labor in prolonged latent phase of labor.
Method:  The design of the study was a randomized double-blind clinical trial design, which was conducted in delivery center of Rouhani hospital in Babol (Iran). A total 121 nulliparrous women with a singleton pregnancy and cephalic presentation at 40–42 gestational weeks in prolonged latent phase were randomly assigned to receive 2 ml ampoule dexamethasone 4 mg/mL (the intervention group) and 2 ml ampoule of sterile water for injections (the control group), which were both intramuscularly administered. Then, the Then, the augmentation of labor with the use of intravenous oxytocin infusion (Caspian Tamin Company Iran) (2.5 m units/ per minute) began in both groups. The primary outcome was the duration of time between the onset of augmentation and the second stage of labor.
Results: The duration of time between the onset of labor augmentation and the second stage of labor (hours) was 5.6±1.9 in the study group, whereas it was 7.7±1.5 in controls with a significant difference (p ≤ <0.001). In the study group, the duration of time between the onset of labor augmentation and the active phase of labor was lower than that of the control group (p= 0.02).  In addition, the duration of the second stage of labor (p <0.001) and the third stage (p <0.001) was lower in the study group compared with that of the control group.
Conclusion: It is imperative that midwives administer dexamethasone to improve the prolonged latent phase in women during the labor.

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The case report: Pancreatic pseudocyst is an encapsulated collection of enzymatic fluid with a well-constructed inflammatory wall bounded by fibrous tissues. However, this remains a rare occurrence in the setting of pregnancy, occurring in as low as 1 in 60,000 gravidas. With such a dearth in the obstetric presentation of pancreatic pseudocysts, no standard treatment guidelines to cater to the condition have been established. In this report, a 24-year-old patient was presented with upper abdominal pain, fever, and nausea in the 24th week of gestational age, which was later affirmed as a pancreatic pseudocyst on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MRI abdomen demonstrated a well-defined cystic mass measuring 9.5 x 6.0 cm with smooth margins, suggestive of a pancreatic pseudocyst. The patient underwent successful ultrasound (U/S)-guided pseudocyst drainage at 33rd weeks of gestation. Following close antenatal monitoring, she safely delivered a viable male infant at 36th weeks via an emergency cesarean section (C-section).

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Background: Pregnant women have supposedly been among the most vulnerable groups since the onset of COVID-19 crisis. Some of the complications of COVID-19 are expected to be more severe in pregnant women, which could be attributed to physiological changes occurring during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical as well as laboratory characteristics of pregnant women with COVID-19 infection.
Methods: In this retrospective study, the medical records of all pregnant women with COVID-19, who were admitted in a tertiary hospital in Iran over the period between March and November 2020, were meticulously reviewed. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of 42 pregnant women with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 infection were assessed. Statistical analyses were performed on Stata 16.0. All statistical tests were two-tailed at the significance level of P < 0.05.
Results: At the time of the study, 42 pregnant women had the symptoms of COVID-19 and were hospitalized. The most common clinical signs of COVID-19 were: fever (69.0%), fatigue (31.0%), dyspnea (28.6%), and pharyngalgia (23.8%). In addition, the most common laboratory symptoms were: an increase in C-reactive protein (CRP) (69.0%), leukocytosis (66.7%), and lymphocytopenia (66.7%). Ground glass opacity (GGO) was a common (83.3%) finding in long computed tomography (CT scan).
Conclusion: The finding of this study indicated that most common clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters in pregnant women with COVID-19 were similar to those of non-pregnant women with COVID-19 infection as reported by other researchers.