Different perceptions and attitudes regarding prenatal testing among service providers and consumers in Israel.
BACKGROUND
The increasing number of prenatal tests for fetal abnormalities calls for a prenatal care policy which will reflect not only medical values, but also the needs and attitudes of the services' consumers.


OBJECTIVE
To compare attitudes of prenatal service consumers and providers regarding extent of prenatal testing and to evaluate these attitudes in relation to sociodemographic and professional characteristics.


METHODS
Women were interviewed by phone 5-8 weeks postpartum (n = 596) using a structured questionnaire. Health professionals (n = 351) completed a parallel questionnaire.


RESULTS
Health professionals were significantly more supportive of comprehensive prenatal testing than women (61.1 vs. 34.1%, respectively). In a multivariable analysis, age over 35, Ashkenazi origin and being better informed regarding tests, predicted a preference for comprehensive testing among women. Among health professionals, predictors of that attitude were secularism and a paramedical profession.


CONCLUSIONS
Providers and consumers of prenatal services differ in their perceptions and opinions. Policy makers should have mechanisms in place to properly represent this diversity.
Mishori Dery
Anat
A
Genetics Institute, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel. anatm@bgu.ac.il
Carmi
Rivka
R
Shoham Vardi
Ilana
I
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D016015:Logistic Models; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires