J Korean Med Sci.  2017 Aug;32(8):1319-1326. 10.3346/jkms.2017.32.8.1319.

Trends in Fetal and Perinatal Mortality in Korea (2009–2014): Comparison with Japan and the United States

• Song YH
• Lee GM
• Yoon JM
• Cheon EJ
• Lee SK
• Chung SH
• Lim JW

• KMID: 2439467
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2017.32.8.1319

Abstract

Fetal death is an important indicator of national health care. In Korea, the fetal mortality rate is likely to increase due to advanced maternal age and multiple births, but there is limited research in this field. The authors investigated the characteristics of fetal deaths, the annual changes in the fetal mortality rate and the perinatal mortality rate in Korea, and compared them with those in Japan and the United States. Fetal deaths were restricted to those that occurred at 20 weeks of gestation or more. From 2009 to 2014, the overall mean fetal mortality rate was 8.5 per 1,000 live births and fetal deaths in Korea, 7.1 in Japan and 6.0 in the United States. While the birth rate in Korea declined by 2.1% between 2009 and 2014, the decrease in the number of fetal deaths was 34.5%. The fetal mortality rate in Korea declined by 32.9%, from 11.0 in 2009 to 7.4 in 2014, the largest decline among the 3 countries. In addition, rates for receiving prenatal care increased from 53.9% in 2009 to 75.0% in 2014. Perinatal mortality rate I and II were the lowest in Japan, followed by Korea and the United States, and Korea showed the greatest decrease in rate of perinatal mortality rate II. In this study, we identified that the indices of fetal deaths in Korea are improving rapidly. In order to maintain this trend, improvement of perinatal care level and stronger national medical support policies should be maintained continuously.

Keyword

Fetal Death; Fetal Mortality; Stillbirth; Perinatal Mortality; Newborn; Infant Mortality

MeSH Terms

Birth Rate
Delivery of Health Care
Fetal Death
Fetal Mortality
Humans
Infant
Infant Mortality
Infant, Newborn
Japan*
Korea*
Live Birth
Maternal Age
Multiple Birth Offspring
Perinatal Care
Perinatal Mortality*
Pregnancy
Prenatal Care
Stillbirth
United States*

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Selection of study populations for the study. *Data from the Statistics Korea (1415); †Data from Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (916); ‡Data from the United States National Center for Health Statistics (1718).

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  Fig. 2 Trends of fetal mortality rate by maternal age in Korea, 2009–2014* Fetal mortality rate was higher in the 12–19 years old and the 40–90 years old mother group than in the others, the 25–29 years old mother group showed the lowest rate. The fetal mortality rate of all decreased by year. *Data from Statistics Korea (1415).

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