Neonatal Med.  2021 Aug;28(3):99-107. 10.5385/nm.2021.28.3.99.

Trends and Characteristics of Mortality Associated with Congenital Anomalies in Korean Children under 5 Years of Age

• Kim SB
• Jang MJ
• Song YH
• Jung SY
• Oh JS
• Lim JW

• KMID: 2519772
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5385/nm.2021.28.3.99

Abstract

Purpose
Studies have been conducted on the prevalence and infant mortality rate of congenital anomalies; however, studies on child mortality are rare. Therefore, we evaluated the characteristics of deaths associated with congenital anomalies among children born in Korea who died within 5 years of age.
Methods
Birth-to-death cohort linked data of children under the age of 5 years from 2010 to 2013, and statistical data on the cause of death by age from 1999 to 2019, both provided by the Korea National Statistical Office's Microdata Integrated Service, were retrospectively investigated. We investigated the trends and characteristics of mortality associated with congenital anomalies.
Results
Among 1,858,945 children, 6,510 children who died were under 5 years of age, and among them, 1,229 deaths were associated with congenital anomalies, while 5,281 deaths were due to other causes. Deaths associated with congenital anomalies accounted for 18.9% of all deaths. When comparing congenital anomalies by systems, anomalies of the cardiovascular system (52.6%) were the most common. The mortality rate associated with congenital anomalies and those of other causes showed similar declining trends in 21 years.
Conclusion
The mortality rate of congenital anomalies during the first 5 years of life did not increase differently from the prevalence of congenital anomalies but rather decreased. Deaths associated with congenital anomalies accounted for 20.5% of all infant deaths and 12.1% of child deaths, since the major causes of death in infants and children are slightly different, continuous and careful monitoring is required.

Keyword

Congenital abnormalities; Infant death; Child death

Figure

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  Figure 1. Annual trends of mortality rate 2010 to 2013 (per 1,000).

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  Figure 2. (A) Annual trends of mortality rate for infants under the age of 1 year, 1999 to 2019 (per 1,000). (B) Annual trends of mortality rate for children aged 1 to 4 years, 1999 to 2019 (per 1,000).

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  Figure 3. Mortality rate of congenital anomalies based on the system (per 10,000).

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  Figure 4. Mortality fractional rate of congenital anomalies based on the systems.

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