J Prev Med Public Health.  2019 Mar;52(2):123-130. 10.3961/jpmph.18.247.

Impact of Changes in Maternal Age and Parity Distribution on the Increasing Trends in the Low Birth Weight and Very Low Birth Weight Rates in South Korea, 2005-2015

• Oh Y
• Bae J

• KMID: 2447398
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.18.247

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of shifts in maternal age and parity on the increasing trends in the low birth weight (LBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW) rates from 2005 to 2015 in South Korea.
METHODS
Data from 4 993 041 live births registered with Statistics Korea during the period between 2005 and 2015 were analyzed. Applying a modified standardization method, we partitioned the total increment in the LBW and VLBW rates into (1) the increase in the LBW and VLBW rates due to changes in the maternal age and parity distribution (AP-dis) and (2) the increase due to changes in the age-specific and parity-specific rates (AP-spe) of LBW and VLBW for singleton and multiple births, respectively.
RESULTS
During the study period, the total increment in the LBW and VLBW rates was 1.43%p and 0.25%p, respectively. Among singleton births, changes in the AP-dis accounted for 79% (0.34%p) and 50% (0.06%p) of the total increment in the LBW and VLBW rates, respectively. Meanwhile, among multiple births, changes in the AP-dis did not contribute to the increase in the LBW and VLBW rates, with 100% of the increase in the LBW (1.00%p) and VLBW (0.13%p) rates being attributed to changes in the AP-spe.
CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that shifts in maternal age and parity were prominent contributors to the increase in the LBW and VLBW rates among singleton births between 2005 and 2015 in South Korea.

Keyword

Infant; Low birth weight; Very low birth weight; Maternal age; Parity

MeSH Terms

Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Low Birth Weight*
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight*
Korea*
Live Birth
Maternal Age*
Methods
Multiple Birth Offspring
Parity*
Parturition