J Korean Med Assoc.  2016 Jul;59(7):506-513. 10.5124/jkma.2016.59.7.506.

Future of neonatology in Korea: the way forward

• Chang YS

• KMID: 2343862
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2016.59.7.506

Abstract

Throughout the past several decades in Korea, the field of neonatology has developed enormously along with the advancement of modern neonatal intensive care units, which has resulted in significant improvement of treatment effectiveness for high-risk newborn and premature infants. Since the deaths of newborn infants are closely related to the infant death rate - one of the most important indicators of national health - neonatal intensive care is significant as a major element of the basic infrastructure of the national healthcare system. In Korea, where a noteworthy decrease in birth rates and an aging population has serious consequences for the future, interest at the national level and policy support for neonatal intensive care as well as for the effective continuous and systematic organization of perinatal care is strongly needed. Important topics for future exploration in the field of neonatology in Korea include the establishment of regionalization and organization of an effective perinatal care system, active quality improvement in neonatal care, and the improvement of evidence-based neonatal medicine through active multicenter clinical trials and the development of new research subjects for unresolved problems in the neonatal field. In addition, suggestions for multidisciplinary treatment and interest in family-oriented and developmental care for newborn infants as well as long-term follow-up research after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit will also be discussed.

Keyword

Infant, newborn; Infant, premature; Forecasting; Research; Critical care

MeSH Terms

Aging
Birth Rate
Critical Care
Delivery of Health Care
Follow-Up Studies
Forecasting
Humans
Infant Death
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Intensive Care, Neonatal
Korea*
Neonatology*
Perinatal Care
Quality Improvement
Research Subjects
Treatment Outcome

Figure

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  Figure 1 Total number of annual newborn infants (A), low birth weight infants (LBWI) weighing less than 2.5 kg , and very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) weighing less than 1.5 kg at birth (B) according to year (From Statistics Korea. 2014 Birth statistics. Daejeon: Korean Statistical Information Service; 2015) [1].

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  Figure 2 Infant mortality rate of 2011 in Korea. Proportion according to period after birth (A), birth weight (B), and gestational age (C) (From Statistics Korea. Infant, maternal and perinatal mortality statistics 2009-2011. Daejeon: Statistics Korea; 2012) [2].

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