Need for an Intensive Care Unit for High Risk Pregnancy and a Neonatal Center

Lee, Keun Young

Abstract

Today Korea faces a low birth rate and an aging society, newly rising issues not easily solved. Of these problems, the low birth rate is the most urgent but a rather neglected issue by today's society, which causes increases in high risk pregnancies and high risk infants and thus necessitates intensive medical care and attention. According to the National Health Insurance Cooperation, the number of high risk pregnancies has been increasing dramatically every year. In 2009, the number of immature infants among total births reached 25,000 (5.7%). However this statistical information is derived from national registration without verification by the Obstetrics and Gynecology Academic Association, which should be involved in the collection of this data in the near future. High risk pregnancies have greater fetus morbidity and mortality rates compared to normal pregnancies, resulting in increased medical costs and low quality of life. Formation of an intensive care unit for high risk pregnancy may resolve these problems and also increase the infant survival rate. The following chapter deals with issues related to high risk pregnancy and infants, the recent increase in elderly pregnancy, the hospital medical cost problems of treating high risk pregnancy, and most importantly discusses the need for and proposes an intensive care unit for high risk pregnancy and a neonatal center.