J Korean Med Sci.  2011 Apr;26(4):467-473. 10.3346/jkms.2011.26.4.467.

Recent Trends in Neonatal Mortality in Very Low Birth Weight Korean Infants: In Comparison with Japan and the USA

• Hahn WH
• Chang JY
• Chang YS
• Shim KS
• Bae CW

• KMID: 1777875
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2011.26.4.467

Abstract

With regard to the outcome of intensive neonatal care, one of the most important concerns in neonatology is the mortality rate of very low birth weight infants (VLBWI; birth weight < 1,500 g) and extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWI; birth weight < 1,000 g). The present study was conducted to analyze and compare the mortality of VLBWI and ELBWI and neonatal care among Korean, Japanese, and American newborns. In Korea, the survival rates of VLBWI have increased significantly; they were 31.8% in the early 1960s, 65.8% in the early 1990s, 77.5% in 2002, 84.7% in 2007, and 85.7% in 2009. The survival rates of ELBWI have also increased; they were 8.2% in the early 1960s, 37.4% in the early 1990s, 56.1% in 2002, 67.7% in 2007, and 71.8% in 2009. The survival rates of VLBWI and ELBWI have significantly improved over the past 50 yr in Korea. However, the Korean survival rates of VLBWI and ELBWI are still lower than for similar groups in Japan and the USA. To achieve better outcomes that reach the level of these countries, the organization of perinatal care centers, nationwide neonatal perinatal research networks, and regionalization are needed in Korea.

Keyword

Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; Infant, Premature; Infant Mortality; Survival Rate; Survival Analysis; Korea; Japan; United States; Epidemiology

MeSH Terms

Female
Humans
Infant Mortality/*trends
Infant, Newborn
*Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
Japan/epidemiology
Perinatal Care/trends
Pregnancy
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Survival Rate
United States/epidemiology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Changes in the neonatal mortality of low birth weight infants (LBWI) and very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) in Korea by 5-yr intervals (A) and 10-yr intervals (B). F, first half of the decade; S, second half of the decade (Quotation from reference 1 after permission).

• 

  Fig. 2 Changes in the survival rates for very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) and extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWI) in Korea. F, first half of the decade; S, second half of the decade (Quotation from reference 2 after permission).

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  Fig. 3 Comparison of recent survival rates for very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) and extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWI) in Korea, Japan and the USA. *Neonatal survival rate within 28 days after births; †Neonatal survival rate at time of discharge from NICU.

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