Hanyang Med Rev.  2009 Nov;29(4):386-390. 10.7599/hmr.2009.29.4.386.

Statistics and Medical Cost of Preterm in Korea

• Yoon HS

• KMID: 2053726
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7599/hmr.2009.29.4.386

Abstract

This article reviews the neonatal birth rate, premature birth rate, premature survival rate and the neonatal treatment costs in Korea. The neonatal birth rate has decreased steadily during past 40 years, which is a serious social problem. However, the premature birth rate has increased by about 8~9 % because most complicated pregnancies were early delivered and the social environment has changed. The survival rate of the preterm has increased remarkably due to improvements in neonatology in Korea from 40% in 1980, to 71% in 1990, and to 78% in 2000. The newest report in 2007 for survival rates of the preterm was 95.3% for low birth weight infants, 84.7% for very low birth weight infants and 67.7% for extremely low birth weight infants. The average total hospitalization cost per person who were admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit was 4,360,000 won. The portion of the hospitalization cost covered by the National health insurance was 77.1% and 22.9% of the total hospitalization cost was not covered by the National health insurance. The hospitalization cost increased as the birth weight decreased and as the hospitalization period increased.

Keyword

Newborn; Premature; Birth rate; Suvival rate; Hospitalization cost

MeSH Terms

Birth Rate
Birth Weight
Health Care Costs
Hospitalization
Humans
Infant
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
Intensive Care, Neonatal
Korea
National Health Programs
Neonatology
Pregnancy
Premature Birth
Social Environment
Social Problems
Survival Rate

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The changes of number of live-birth and total number of birth in one women in Korea.

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  Fig. 2 The changes of number of live birth and the preterm birth rate. Square mark: birth weight less than 2,500 g, Triangular mark: birth weight less than 1,500 g.(From Bae CW10)

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  Fig. 3 Trend in the survival rates for very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) and extremely low birth weight infant (ELBWI) in Korea. A. first half of the decade: B. second half of the decade.(From Kim KS et al.11)

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