J Korean Soc Matern Child Health.  2018 Sep;22(3):134-141. 10.21896/jksmch.2018.22.3.134.

The Current State of Maternity Care and Suggestions for Improvement in the Management of High-risk Pregnancies in South Korea

• Ahn TG
• Kim T
• Kim Y
• Hwang JY

• KMID: 2421911
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21896/jksmch.2018.22.3.134

Abstract

Since the year 2000, low birth rates have resulted in significant decreases to maternity care services throughout many Korean hospitals. However, there has been a concomitant increase in the number of high-risk pregnancies, due to growing trends in delayed marriages and subsequent pregnancies. Increased maternal age is a risk factor associated with complicated pregnancies and high-risk deliveries, both of which are strongly related to maternal death. With this in mind, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has supported the establishment of a regional perinatal center for high-risk pregnancies, estimated to be be fully completed by the year 2020. Despite this, maternity care services for high-risk pregnancies remain insufficient. According to previous reports, the total number of maternity care hospitals and beds available for high-risk pregnant women were 60 and 399, respectively. This is in stark contrast to previous bed estimates of 1,640. The establishment of a maternity care system for high-risk pregnant women is integral to ensuring optimal conditions for both pregnancy and childbirth. This review briefly evaluates the existing maternity care system for high-risk pregnancies, and proposes several new suggestions for improvements.

Keyword

safe childbirth; obstetricians; high-risk pregnancy; maternity care system

MeSH Terms

Birth Rate
Female
Humans
Korea*
Marriage
Maternal Age
Maternal Death
Parturition
Pregnancy
Pregnancy, High-Risk*
Pregnant Women
Risk Factors