The tongue as a window to the soft palate
Watching the baby’s tongue move during the scan helps show whether the soft palate is cleft, an area that is very hard to see before birth.
Read on PubMed (opens in a new tab)Obstetric & Gynecologic Ultrasound
Dr. Offra EngelUltrasound is not only a diagnostic tool. It is a human encounter.
About
Clear information, so you can decide.
I am a specialist in Obstetrics & Gynecology and a senior physician in the Obstetric & Gynecologic Ultrasound Unit at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon. I perform early and late anatomy scans, targeted scans and nuchal translucency, and I am part of the multidisciplinary fetal-neurology clinic, working with maternal-fetal medicine, pediatric neurology, genetics and imaging. I also perform scans in the community, for Meuhedet and Leumit.
I studied medicine at the Hebrew University–Hadassah School of Medicine and trained in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba. From there I moved into obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound, and I keep training in the field, including fetal medicine and advanced fetal neurosonography at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.
I teach medical students from Tel Aviv University, and I develop and teach the Ob/Gyn ultrasound course at Clalit’s Simultech simulation center. I speak Hebrew, English and advanced French.
Path
Jerusalem to Holon.
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2008
Studying medicine
Medical school (B.Med.Sc., MD)
Jerusalem · Hebrew University–Hadassah School of Medicine
Outstanding graduate thesis, on newborns with Down syndrome
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2015
First steps
Internship
Kfar Saba · Meir Medical Center
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2016
Becoming a gynecologist
Residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology
Kfar Saba · Meir Medical Center
Chief resident
Certificate of appreciation for outstanding performance in residency
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2022
Into ultrasound
Ob/Gyn ultrasound program
Tel Aviv · Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
Develops and teaches the ultrasound course at Simultech, Clalit
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2023
Specialist
Specialist in Ob/Gyn, and physician in the ultrasound unit
Kfar Saba · Meir Medical Center
“Madai Yesod” award for research on turning breech babies
Gynecologist at the Kfar Saba Women’s Health Clinic
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2024
Senior physician
Senior physician, Obstetric & Gynecologic Ultrasound Unit
Holon · Wolfson Medical Center
Clinical instructor of medical students, Tel Aviv University
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2026
Still learning
Observership in fetal medicine and advanced fetal neurosonography
Toronto · Fetal Medicine Unit, Mount Sinai Hospital, Canada
Advanced gynecologic ultrasound program, Tel Aviv University
Beyond the scan
Medicine that starts with listening.
Initiatives I founded or helped build, always together with colleagues.
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Alma
With Dr. Maya Ben Zion I co-founded “Alma”: a team that accompanies women arriving at the emergency room after sexual assault, and later a safe, sensitive, personalised birth track for women who survived trauma.
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LGBTQ+ women’s health
A volunteer lecture series with Dr. Gal Cohen and Dr. Hadar Gluska led to the founding of Meir’s LGBTQ+ gynecology clinic.
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Bevat Shamrech
A community project for women’s-health education, co-founded with midwife Hana Cohen.
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The Ob/Gyn ultrasound course
I develop the curriculum and courses, and lead the teaching, of the Ob/Gyn ultrasound course at Clalit’s simulation center.
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Medical mission to Ethiopia
On a joint mission of Wolfson and JDC to ALERT Hospital, I gave lectures and hands-on obstetric ultrasound workshops for local physicians.
Research
How to see better.
My research focuses mostly on new ways to recognise findings on fetal ultrasound, and has been published in medical journals.
The “full rectangle” sign
A simple new ultrasound view for spotting a common variation in a blood vessel near the fetal heart.
Read on PubMed (opens in a new tab)Turning a breech baby
Turning a breech baby by hand caused only small, short-lived changes in umbilical blood flow. The study received the Israel Medical Association Scientific Council prize (2023).
Read on PubMed (opens in a new tab)Journals and congresses: Prenatal Diagnosis, Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Children, International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, PLoS One, Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation, Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, American Journal of Medical Genetics
All publications
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2026
Severe excess amniotic fluid in two pregnancies turned out to be an early sign of a rare inherited kidney condition. Ultrasound and genetic testing together explained it.
Clin Med Insights Pediatr · First author
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2026
Watching the baby’s tongue move during the scan helps show whether the soft palate is cleft, an area that is very hard to see before birth.
Prenatal Diagnosis
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2025
A simple new ultrasound view for spotting a common variation in a blood vessel near the fetal heart.
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
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2024
Pain after keyhole surgery for endometriosis was similar to pain after keyhole hysterectomy.
PLoS One
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2023
Temporary lifestyle changes such as prolonged fasting were linked with changes in semen parameters, which may matter when timing fertility treatment.
Gynecol Obstet Invest · First author
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2023
Turning a breech baby by hand caused only small, short-lived changes in umbilical blood flow. The study received the Israel Medical Association Scientific Council prize (2023).
Children (Basel) · First author
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2022
Most children later diagnosed with genetic developmental conditions had normal pregnancy scans; some findings may justify genetic testing during pregnancy.
Prenatal Diagnosis
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2022
Short online educational content raised women’s knowledge of age-related fertility decline from about 52% to 80%.
J Assist Reprod Genet
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2022
Women who walked more in hospital after a cesarean had fewer complications after going home.
Int J Gynaecol Obstet · First author
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2020
Does cognitive flexibility affect the course of labor? A prospective study (opens in a new tab)
In first-time mothers, more flexible thinking styles were linked with a higher chance of a vaginal birth.
Int J Gynaecol Obstet
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2019
When waters break too early, azithromycin was linked with a longer time to delivery than roxithromycin, with similar safety.
Arch Gynecol Obstet
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2018
The impact of third-trimester genetic counseling (opens in a new tab)
Genetic counseling late in pregnancy helped couples understand what new fetal findings meant.
Arch Gynecol Obstet
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2017
A review of 403 newborns with Down syndrome in Jerusalem, based on my MD thesis, which received an outstanding-thesis award.
Am J Med Genet A
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2024
Is maternal intrapartum low-grade fever a risk factor for maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes?
Whether a low-grade fever during labour raises risks for mother or newborn.
AJOG supplement (SMFM)
Scans
What I look at, and when.
The scans I perform at Wolfson and in community clinics. Week ranges are general; exact timing is set with your care team.
11–14weeks
Nuchal translucency
An early scan that measures the fluid at the back of the baby’s neck, as part of assessing the chance of chromosomal conditions.
15–17weeks
Early anatomy scan
A detailed look at the baby’s organs and structure early in pregnancy.
19–25weeks
Late anatomy scan
A systematic review of the baby’s organs, growth and surroundings in the womb.
Neuromultidisciplinary clinic
Fetal neurosonography
Focused imaging of the baby’s brain, within Wolfson’s multidisciplinary fetal-neurology clinic.
Targetedby referral
Targeted scans and amniocentesis
Follow-up scans when a finding or question needs a closer look, and ultrasound-guided amniocentesis for genetic diagnosis.
3D · 4Dthree- and four-dimensional
3D / 4D imaging
When it adds information to the scan.
This website offers general information and does not replace medical advice. Decisions about a scan and its timing are made with your doctor.
Where I work
In hospital, and in the community.
Hospital
Wolfson Medical Center
Obstetric & Gynecologic Ultrasound Unit, Women & Maternity Division, Holon
Early and late anatomy scans, targeted scans, nuchal translucency, and the fetal-neurology clinic.
Booked through the unit 03-5028111
Meuhedet
HaKeshatot Clinic, Bnei Brak
22 Reuven Aharonovitch St. · Wednesdays, 07:30–13:00
Early anatomy scans, nuchal translucency and targeted scans for Meuhedet members.
Meuhedet appointments *3833
Leumit
Ganei Aviv Medical Center, Lod
14 Arba Onot St., Ganei Aviv Mall
Obstetric ultrasound scans for Leumit members.
Leumit appointments 1-700-507-507
Leumit
HaNarkisim Medical Center, Rishon LeZion
9 HaHadracha Blvd.
Obstetric ultrasound scans for Leumit members.
Leumit appointments 1-700-507-507
Appointments are booked through the hospital and the health funds. I do not have a private clinic.