Perinatology.  2019 Mar;30(1):1-7. 10.14734/PN.2019.30.1.1.

The Incidence and Survival Rate of Very Low Birth Weight Infants in Korea (2013–2016): A Comparison of the Statistics Korea and the Korean Neonatal Network and Improvements

• Kim J
• Kim HE
• Lee KS
• Chung SH
• Choi YS
• Bae CW
• Korean Neonatal Network

• KMID: 2443169
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14734/PN.2019.30.1.1

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
We aimed to compare the total number of live births and survival rates of very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs) from the Statistics Korea and the Korean Neonatal Network (KNN) data between 2013 and 2016, and to find out the direction in which the total number of VLBWIs is included in KNN.
METHODS
We obtained the number of live births and deaths of VLBWIs and extremely low birth weight infants among vital statistics of the Statistics Korea from 2013 to 2016 and compared the differences with KNN data using the KNN annual reports during the same period.
RESULTS
The survival rates were 84.2%, 86.5%, 84.9% for VLBWIs in the Statistics Korea, and 83.4%, 86.4%, 84.6% in the KNN data from 2014 to 2016. There was no significant difference between the data. The rates of registration of VLBWIs (registration number of the KNN/registration number of the Statistics Korea) showed 50.8%, 87.7%, 87.7%, 88.3% between 2013 and 2016, respectively. It showed an increasing trend every year. However, registration rates according to the birth weight (BW) and gestational age (GA) were significantly lower in BW of less than 400 g and GA of less than 22 weeks.
CONCLUSION
KNN is considered to be a good database representing the number of births of VLBWIs born in Korea. However, it is necessary to establish the GA of survival limits in the data of the Statistics Korea, and acquire data on the number of VLBWIs who are not collected by hospitals and clinics in Korea.

Keyword

Very low birth weight infants; Live birth; Survival rate; Vital statistics

MeSH Terms

Birth Weight
Gestational Age
Humans
Incidence*
Infant*
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight*
Korea*
Live Birth
Parturition
Survival Rate*
Vital Statistics