Material and Methods: This cohort study was conducted, via multi-stage sampling, on 1033 pregnant women referred to the prenatal centers in Tehran, Iran. The instrument was demographic- productivity questionnaire completed within the14th-20th weeks of gestation. Serum level of zinc & iron was measured by spectrophotometric atomic absorption method and Ferene test, respectively. To analyze the data, we used T test, χ2 and logistic regression using SPSS16 software. 

Results: The incidence of preterm delivery was 10.5%. This rate increased to 12.5% and 18.2% in lack of iron and zinc, respectively. There was no significant link between lack of zinc level and preterm delivery (P>0.05), But the relationship between lack of iron and preterm delivery was significant (P< 0.05). Based on logistic regression, there was higher risk of preterm delivery if iron serum level was low. 

Conclusion: Given the high impact of lack of iron on preterm delivery, we recommend that the factors effective on intake & absorption of iron be emphasized in reproductive education courses.

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most significant reproductive and endocrine disorders in women. This study aims to assess the impact of nettle extract on both clinical and paraclinical symptoms in women with PCOS.
Methods: This Triple-Blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial involved 60 women (n = 30 per group) aged 18 to 45, all diagnosed with PCOS based on definitive diagnostic criteria in Tabriz, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio using block sizes of 4 and 6 into two groups: an intervention group (receiving 500 mg of oral nettle extract containing flavonoids, tannins, and sterols daily for three months) and a control group (receiving combined oral contraceptives [COCs] for three months). Independent t-test and ANCOVA test were used in SPSS version 24 for data analysis. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The study showed that after the intervention, there were no statistically significant differences between the nettle extract group and the control group regarding mean levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (P=0.197), total testosterone (P=0.24), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (P=0.549), luteinizing hormone (LH) (P=0.398), hirsutism score (P=0.149), or duration of menstrual bleeding (P=0.982), based on ANCOVA adjusted for baseline values, education level, and number of pregnancies. However, the two groups exhibited statistically significant differences in fasting blood glucose levels (P=0.020), intervals between menstrual bleeding (days) (P=0.031), and menstrual bleeding intensity (P = 0.008).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that nettle extract is as effective as low-dose oral contraceptive pills in reducing levels of dehydroepiandrosterone, total testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH), as well as in decreasing hirsutism scores and the duration of menstrual bleeding. Midwives can use nettle extract, which is a cheap, easy, and non-invasive method to improve PCO symptoms.