Korean J Perinatol.  2009 Mar;20(1):1-5.

The low birth weight rate in Korea

• Lee JJ

Abstract

Low birth weight has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as weight at birth of less than 2,500 g. This practical cut-off for international comparison is based on epidemiological observations that infants weighing less than 2,500 g are approximately 20 times more likely to die than heavier babies. The low birth weight rate is one of the most important indicators that represent the health care situation of a nation. The low birth weight rate for industrialized countries was around 7 percent, and in less developed countries it ranged between 5 and 33 percent, with an average of 17 percent. In Korea, low birth weight rate was presented between 4 and 9.8 percent. but I thought that the true low birth weight rate in Korea was around 5 percent recently.

Keyword

Korea; low birth weight infant; Incidence

MeSH Terms

Delivery of Health Care
Developed Countries
Developing Countries
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Korea
Parturition
World Health Organization