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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Anat Mishori-Dery, MSc¹, Ilana Shoham-Vardi, PhD, MPH¹, and Rivka Carmi, MD². (1) Epidemiology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel, 972-8-6477451, vilana@bgu.ac.il, (2) Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, POB 653, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel

Background: The widening range of prenatally detected fetal abnormalities calls for examination and comparison of attitudes of care providers and patients toward termination of pregnancy (TOP). Objectives: Compare attitudes of providers and consumers of prenatal health care services in southern Israel regarding the justification of TOP in a range of fetal abnormalities and the factors associated with these attitudes. Methods: A study conducted in southern Israel comprised 596 women interviewed 5-8 weeks postpartum and 351 providers of prenatal care who filled out a self-administrated questionnaire. Results: For each condition, care providers were significantly (p<.001) more supportive of TOP than consumers, though the hierarchy of conditions justifying TOP was the same in both study groups: mental retardation (97% vs. 69%), death at infancy (97% vs.64%), severe physical disability(96% vs. 62%) low quality of life (94% vs. 56%), blindness/deafness (71% vs.39%), late onset disease (56% vs. 33 %), and aesthetic defect (49% vs.30%). Forty percent (40%) of providers vs. 17% of consumers justified TOP for all conditions, while 24% of consumers and virtually none of the proviers objected to TOP regardless of medical conditions (p<0.001). Religiosity was the only factor associated with consumers' attitude, but no demographic nor professional characteristics predicted providers' attitudes. Conclusions:Prenatal care providers and consumers in Israel differ in their attitudes regarding TOP, yet both groups widely acknowledge this option. In view of these fundamental differences, providers of prenatal care should be properly trained to help their patients reach an informed decision when considering prenatal diagnosis and its results.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the differences in attitudes regarding pregnancy terminations between providers and consumers of prenatal care services
• Discuss the implications of these differences on the way prenatal genetic tests are offered and diagnosis interpreted
• Assess attitudes at the local level and integrate this information into training programs for professionals involved in prenatal testing.

Keywords: Prenatal Care, Birth Defects

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation