Introduction: Folic acid is one of the most important vitamins for women of reproductive ages, especially before conception and during pregnancy. Many researches have shown the role of folic acid in prevention of fetal malformations especially neural tube defects, anemia, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Material and Methods: This research is a semi-experimental study. A sample of 130 married women at reproductive ages (15-45 year) referring to health centers in Kermanshah was selected randomly. The tool for collecting data was questionnaire. After filling the pretest questionnaire, each woman participated in a face to face 15 minutes educational session. Two weeks later the same questionnaire was filled by the participant. To analyze the data, the descriptive statistics, frequency distribution charts, the mean and central tendency as well as validating statistics (2 test and t test) was used.

Results: The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in amount of knowledge (p 0.0001, t=-27.381) and the amount of usage (p=0.0001, 2 = 42.968) of folic acid supplement before and after education. This difference was more prominent in women between 25-29 years of age, self-employed, with diploma degree, housewives, having diploma holding husbands and first time pregnancies.

Conclusion: The amount of information and usage of folic acid supplement increased significantly after education. This finding reveals the importance of health education and the important role of health personnel such as midwives. Therefore, it is suggested that women of reproductive ages be informed of importance of taking folic acid supplement.

Background & Aim: Health Promotion and Prevention of disease are two important aims of health programs. Despite many efforts which have been done for health promotion, sexually transmitted diseases is yet one of the societies health problem today. The educational and teaching efforts, can confined these infections which seems health educational models, such as health belief model has a key role in this matter.

Methods & Materials: This study was a semi - experimental survey conducted in case - control method. Sampling size included 30 couples in each group that was selected randomly. The couples in the experimental group were educated based on health belief model, during two 30 minutes educational sessions and the couples in the control group participated in the routine counseling classes. The data of this research was gathered by a questionnaire in two stages before and 4 month after education, then was analyzed by SPSS software.

Results: The results of this study indicated that there was no significant differences between two groups in demographic characteristics and agent of health belief model (perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers of STDs). Comparing of those two groups indicated that after education, there were significant differences between perceived susceptibility (p<0.0001), severity (p<0.0001), benefits (p<0.0001), barriers (p<0.002) and practice (p<0.009).

Conclusion: Findings of this study showed that education through health belief model was effective in preventing STDs. Then this educational model can be applied in educating adolescents and other people for preventing STDs.

Background & Aim: Women with high risk pregnancy experience changes in their personal, family, and social life that affect their quality of life and mental status. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of type of pregnancy (normal or high risk) on quality of life and depression levels in pregnant women.

Methods & Materials: In this case-control study, a total of 100 women (50 women with normal pregnancies and 50 women with high risk pregnancies) who referred to the prenatal clinics of Kashan Medical University were studied. Subjects were randomly selected and then allocated in the normal (control) or high risk (case) groups. Data were gathered using a three-part questionnaire that included demographic characteristics, the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) to assess the quality of life, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess the levels of depressive symptoms. 

Results: In this study, the results revealed that the mean score of the quality of life was lower in the women with high risk pregnancy (53/20±16/83) in comparison with the women with normal pregnancy (62/18 12/48). The mean of the BDI scores in high risk pregnancies (15/34±9/15) were significantly higher than in normal pregnancies (9/8±5/44). Depression has strong negative correlation with quality of life in both women with high risk and normal pregnancies (P<0.001).

Conclusion: To sum up, it is very important to identify women that are at risk and help them to promote their quality of life.