Israel Medical Association Journal

Background: On 7 October 2023, Hamas lunched a massive terror attack against Israel. The first weeks after were characterized with great uncertainty, insecurity, and fear.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of the first 2 months of the Iron Swords war on obstetrical emergency attendance and the corresponding perinatal outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a single center retrospective cohort study of all singleton births between 7 October and 7 December 2023. Prenatal emergency labor ward admission numbers and obstetric outcomes during the first 2 months of the war were compared to the combined corresponding periods for the years 2018–2022.

Results: During the initial 2 months of the conflict 1379 births were documented. The control group consisted of 7304 deliveries between 2018 and 2022. There was a decrease in daily emergency admissions to the labor ward during the first 5 weeks of the conflict compared to the corresponding periods in the preceding years (51.8 ± 15.0 vs. 57.0 ± 13.0, P = 0.0458). A notable increase in stillbirth rates was observed in the study group compared to the control group (5/1379 [0.36%] vs. 7/7304 [0.1%]; P = 0.014). Both groups exhibited similar gestational ages at birth, rates of preterm and post-term delivery, neonatal birthweights, mode of delivery, and induction of labor rates.

Conclusions: In the initial weeks following Hamas's attack on Israel, there was a notable decrease in admissions to the prenatal emergency labor ward. This decline coincided with an increase in the rate of stillbirths among a population not directly involved in the conflict.

Background: The Gaza–Israeli conflict poses challenges for unbiased reporting due to its complexity and media bias. We explored recent scientific publications to understand scholarly discourse and potential biases surrounding this longstanding geopolitical issue.

Objectives: To conduct a descriptive bibliometric analysis of PubMed articles regarding the recent Gaza–Israeli conflict.

Methods: We reviewed 1628 publications using keywords and medical subject headings (MeSH) terms related to Gaza, Hamas, and Israel. We focused on articles written in English. A team of researchers assessed inclusion criteria, resolving disagreements through a third researcher.

Results: Among 37 publications, Lancet, BMJ, and Nature were prominent journals. Authors from 12 countries contributed, with variety of publication types (46% correspondence, 32% news). Pro-Gaza perspectives dominated (43.2%), surpassing pro-Israel (21.6%) and neutral (35.1%) viewpoints. Pro-Gaza articles exhibited higher Altmetric scores, indicating increased social media impact. Pro-Israel publications were predominantly authored by Israelis.

Conclusions: The prevalence of pro-Gaza perspectives underscores challenges in maintaining impartiality. Higher social media impact for pro-Gaza publications emphasizes the need for nuanced examination. Addressing bias is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of this complex conflict and promoting balanced reporting.

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of female physicians in all fields and specializations of medicine, but this increase has not resulted in a redistribution of domestic tasks and responsibilities. Reviewing the literature of the last two decades (April 1994 to April 2014) on how female physicians cope with the challenge of balancing their family and professional lives for the duration of their professional careers revealed that they suffer from the work-family conflict more than other professionals and that it has a more negative effect on women than on men. Women physicians consider work-family balance significantly when making career choices. These considerations affect their career success, their productivity as faculty members, their marital life, and parenthood. Having a supportive spouse at home and a facilitating mentor at work are important for a positive work-family balance among female physicians. Special career-supporting measures, such as flexible work schedules and expanded support for childcare over the course of work and when taking part in academic activities, are critical for female physicians.

Objectives: To assess the academic and psychological effects of political conflict on students.

Methods: We asked all students to fill out an anonymous Google electronic survey describing their experience during the war and evaluating the debriefing. A team of students and administrators reviewed the responses.

Results: Sixty-six students (40% of the school) responded (first year 26%, second year 39%, third year 24%, fourth year 8%, taking time off 3%, age 23–40 years old). Eighty-three percent were in Israel for some portion of the war and 34% attended the debriefing. Factors that influenced individuals’ decision to return/stay in the war zone were primarily of an academic and financial nature. Other factors included family pressure, information from peers and information from the administration. Many reported psychological difficulties during the war rather than physical danger, describing it as “draining” and that it was difficult to concentrate while studying. As foreigners, many felt their role was undefined. Although there is wide variation in the war’s effect on daily activities and emotional well-being during that time, the majority (73%) reported minimal residual effects.

Conclusions: This study lends insight to the way students cope during conflict and highlights academic issues during a war. Open and frequent communication and emphasis on the school as a community were most important to students.