Changes in Statistical Birth Data Related to Maternity and Newborn over the Past 15 Years in Korea

Lee, Kyung Suk; Han, Dong Hoon; Bae, Chong Woo

Abstract

PURPOSE
The statistical birth data related to maternity and newborns over the past 15 years in Korea was analyzed in order to review the changing patterns of maternity and newborns in Korea.
METHODS
Statistical data after 1995 in Korea were obtained from the Statistics Korea. Birth data related to maternity (distribution of birth rate, maternal age, advanced maternal age group, rank of birth, and time of pregnancy) and newborn (distribution of number of births, birth weight, ratio of sex, and multiple births) were analyzed.
RESULTS
The average age of maternity is increasing while births in an advanced age has also increased from 4.7% in 1995 to 15.5% in 2009. There was a decrease in the total number of births, total birth rate and average birth weight. The rate of premature births in an advanced age occupied more than 6% of this study. The ratio of sex from the third born child and beyond has been relieved. The rate of multiple births has increased. The birth rate within two years of cohabitation before giving birth to a couple's first child has decreased.
CONCLUSIONS
The rates of newborns requiring perinatal care such as births of prematurity, low birth weight infants, multiple pregnancies, etc are increasing. This is in relation to the increase in age of maternity and number of pregnancies in an advanced age. Therefore, there is an increase demand for strategies in order to decrease the age of maternity and the rate of pregnancies in an advanced age.