* Corresponding author, Address: Fatemeh Zahra faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran Tel: +98 711 6474250 Email: akbarzadehmarzieh@yahoo.com 13 The role of relaxation training in health index of infants in pregnant mothers Toosi M 1 , Akbarzadeh M *1 , Zare N 2 , Sharif F 3 Received: 12/29/2011 Revised: 08/27/2012 Accepted: 10/06/2012 1. Dept. of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran 2. Dept. of Biostatistics, School of Health and Epidemiology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran 3. Dept. of Nursing, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Journal of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 1, Spring 2013 Abstract: Introduction: Different Investigations have shown that the effect of Relaxation Training on emotional stress. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of relaxation training on health index such as Apgar index, weight, height in infants after delivery in pregnant mothers. Materials and Methods: This is a clinical trial in which 84 pregnant women who referred to two health centers of Shiraz (Hafez and Shoshtary) in 2010 were selected using simple sampling method and assigned randomly to case and control groups. The case group was taught about relaxation whereas the control groups did not undergo any training. At the time of delivery, Health Index of Infants including Apgar index, weight, and height was assessed. Results: The results showed a significant difference between the two groups in height, infant reflex and intensive crayning (with better situation in case group). There was no significant difference between the two groups in delivery, Apgar scores, weight and cephalic index, meconium deifcation and Apgar score in 1-5 minute. Conclusion: It seems that teaching pregnant women on relaxation could be effective in mother and her children. Therefore, attention should be paid to different methods for reducing stress in this group of mothers. Keywords: Relaxation, Pregnant Women, Education Introduction Pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum are the turning points of a woman’s life. They have serious effects on women, children, and families and have important and long- term effects on communities (1). The first postnatal phase is a transitional phase connecting the embryonic period and the neonatal period. It is the most important, vulnerable, and stressful phase of everyone’s life. For these reasons, it is vital to pay attention to the caring methods that facilitate a balance to the nervous and behavioral systems and help a newborn to adapt to the first postnatal environment (2). Therapeutic and pharmaceutical complications have made natural methods prominent because they cause fewer J Jahrom Univ Med Sci 2013; 11(1): 13-9 Downloaded from jmj.jums.ac.ir at 10:56 +0330 on Tuesday March 17th 2020 [ DOI: 10.29252/jmj.11.1.2 ]