Israel Medical Association Journal

Background: Population screening for the BRCA mutations in Ashkenazi Jewish women was recently implemented in Israel and is expected to lead to a 10-fold increase in the diagnosis of asymptomatic carriers. Performing the screening follow-up within multidisciplinary dedicated clinics for carriers is recommended for early detection and risk reduction.

Objectives: To determine the availability, capacity, and practices of dedicated screening clinic for BRCA carriers in Israel.

Methods: A telephone-based survey of all public hospitals in Israel was conducted October 2020 to August 2021 to determine whether they had a dedicated clinic. Dedicated clinics were defined as multidisciplinary screening clinics offering at least breast and gynecological screening and risk reducing services on site. The clinic director or nurse navigator answered a questionnaire about screening practices followed by a semi-structured interview.

Results: Of the ten dedicated BRCA clinics found in Israel, nine participated. Approximately 4500 BRCA carriers are currently being followed. No specialized clinics are available in the southern district or in the northernmost half of the northern district of Israel, leading to a disparity between periphery and center. Screening recommendations, although asserted as adhering to international guidelines, vary among clinics including age at initiating of clinical exam, use of adjunct imaging modalities, and follow-up during lactation and after risk reducing surgery.

Conclusions: There is a suboptimal distribution of dedicated clinics for BRCA carriers in Israel. Nationally centralized attempt to create guidelines that will unify screening practices is warranted, especially considering the expected increase in demand.

Background: Fertility treatments are responsible for the rise in high order pregnancies in recent decades and their associated complications. Reducing the number of embryos returned to the uterus will reduce the rate of high order pregnancies.     

Objectives: To explore whether obstetric history and parity have a role in the clinician’s decision making regarding the number of embryos transferred to the uterus during in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Methods: In a retrospective study for the period August 2005 to March 2012, data were collected from twin deliveries > 24 weeks, including parity, mode of conception (IVF vs. spontaneous), gestational age at delivery, preeclampsia, birth weight, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and Apgar scores. 

Results: A total of 1651 twin deliveries > 24 weeks were recorded, of which 959 (58%) were at term (> 37 weeks). The early preterm delivery (PTD) rate (< 32 weeks) was significantly lower with increased parity (12.6%, 8.5%, and 5.6%, in women with 0, 1, and ≥ 2 previous term deliveries, respectively). Risks for PTD (< 37 weeks), preeclampsia and NICU admission were significantly higher in primiparous women compared to those who had one or more previous term deliveries. Primiparity and preeclampsia, but not IVF, were significant risk factors for PTD. 

Conclusions: The risk for PTD in twin pregnancies is significantly lower in women who had a previous term delivery and decreases further after two or more previous term deliveries. This finding should be considered when deciding on the number of embryos to be transferred in IVF.