• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.85-90
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• 2011

In 2008, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimated that about 430,000 children worldwide became infected with HIV, mostly through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or breastfeeding. The MTCT prevention program proved to be feasible and effective in reduction of perinatal HIV transmission. Three babies born from HIV-infected mothers were admitted to the National Medical Center in 2009. Only two women received antiretroviral (ARV) therapy during pregnancy, labor, and after delivery, and their infants received zidovudine (AZT) for 6 weeks. The outcome, after a follow-up period of 4 months to 16 months, was favorable in all patients. Thus, we emphasize the need for expansion of antenatal HIV screening of pregnant women, implemented for early HIV diagnosis and effective ARV therapy for reduction of perinatal HIV transmission.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.790-795
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• 2002

Sporadic reports of hypernatremic dehydration in breastfed newborn infants have appeared in medical literature for at least 3 decades. We report the first case of hypernatremic dehydration resulting from inadequate breast-feeding in Korea. A 14-day old baby, born to a mentally retarded mother, was transferred to our hospital with a body weight loss of 460 g since birth(17%) and a serum sodium(Na) level of 179 mEq/L, after initial hydration at another hospital. On admission, a cardiac murmur was heard and an enlarged liver was palpated. Cardiac ultrasonogram revealed ventricular septal defect and ostium secundum atrial septal defect. During hydration, a seizure-like attack developed. Serum Na decreased to 135 mEq/L on the 5th day of admission. Brain ultrasonography and brain magnetic resonance image revealed no remarkable abnormalities. Electroencephalography was normal. She suffered from prerenal azotemia, hyperglycemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation at admission but was treated successfully. Heart failure was also controlled with dobutamine, diuretics and digoxin.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.8
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• pp.283-287
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• 2015

Purpose: We assessed the relationships between iron and vitamin D statuses in breastfed infants and their mothers and evaluated the determinants of iron and vitamin D deficiencies in breastfed infants. Methods: Seventy breastfed infants aged 4-24 months and their mothers participated in this study from February 2012 to May 2013. Complete blood counts, total iron binding capacity, and levels of C-reactive protein, iron, ferritin, calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in infants and their mothers were measured. Results: A history of maternal prepregnancy anemia was associated with lower ferritin and 25(OH)D levels in both infants and their mothers. The 25(OH)D level of infants correlated with maternal 25(OH) D levels. The independent risk factors for iron deficiency in breastfed infants were the duration of breastfeeding (odds ratio [OR], 6.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-39.2; P=0.04) and infant body weight (OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.07-6.56; P=0.04). The determinants for vitamin D deficiency were the infant's age (OR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.02-0.97; P=0.046) and maternal 25(OH)D level (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59-0.92; P=0.01). Conclusion: A maternal history of prepregnancy anemia requiring iron therapy was associated with lower current ferritin and 25(OH)D levels in both infants and their mothers. Therefore, physicians should monitor not only iron but also vitamin D levels in infants who are breastfed by mothers who had prepregnancy anemia.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.123-135
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• 2015

In order to examine allergic disease experience rates of students at atopy and asthma friendly elementary schools located in Chungcheongnam-do and investigate their dietary behaviors, a survey on 250 parents of first to third grade students at four rural-type atopy and asthma friendly elementary schools was conducted. The number of students who had experienced allergic symptoms (allergic group) was 102 (40.8%). their breastfeeding duration was shorter than that of the non-allergic group (p<.001) and the former's weaning foods-feeding had started earlier than the latter's (p<.01). Regarding the eating habits, the non-allergic group was found to have breakfast and dinner better than the allergic group (p<.001). The number of students eating fruits as snacks was largest in the allergic group at 73 (71.6%), and as for the non-allergic group, their rate of eating fruits, milk and dairy products, and cookies and fries was at 25.7%, 22.3%, and 20.3%, respectively. A high percentage of the allergic group ate three times or less per month the animal food groups and dairy products (p<.001). Accordingly, for improvement in dietary behaviors of students who have allergy against food, nutrition education on regular eating, balanced intake of food, adequate intake of snacks and meals for proper growth and development and precise diagnosis of allergy-triggering food are necessary. In particular, as education on food allergy, implementation of practical education such as appropriate nutrition counseling by nutrition teachers is urgent beyond the one-way educational method of school newsletters.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.795-800
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• 2006

In order to examine nutritional and behavioral risk factors of atopic dermatitis (AD) in Korean preschoolers, we analyzed data on 144 children aged 3-6 years with AD and their 434 healthy counterparts. The data included breast-feeding history, current weight, food behaviors assessed by the Mini Dietary Assessment (MDA), food intake by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and behavior problems by the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scale (PKBS). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed after controlling for preschool location and child's age, gender and total energy intake, as appropriate. There was no group difference of child and household characteristics. Breastfeeding history was related to lower AD risk (OR = 0.63, 95% Cl = 0.40-0.99), yet no statistically significant association was found with overweight status. Regarding food behaviors, AD risk was lower in children who drank milk at least one cup per day (OR = 0.52, 95% Cl = 0.35-0.78) and had regular meals (OR = 0.62, 95% Cl =0.42-0.92). Moreover, there were lower risks of AD in the second (OR =0.48, 95% Cl = 0.28-0.82) and the highest (OR = 0.55, 95% Cl = 0.32-0.94) intake quartiles as compared with the lowest quartile of kimchi intake. Similarly, AD risk was lower in the highest quartile of rice (OR = 0.51 Cl = 0.28-0.93) and the second quartile of fruit (OR =0.45, 95% Cl = 0.25-0.82) intakes. AD children had more problems in social interaction (OR = 1.97,95% Cl = 1.26-3.07) and independence (OR = 1.60, 95% Cl = 1.01 -2.54) measures than the healthy controls. Likewise, AD children tended to show more problem behaviors such as anxiety (OR = 1.63, 95% Cl = 0.99-2.69). Our results suggest that nutritional and behavioral dimensions are related to AD risk, yet the case control study design may preclude generalization of these results.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.232-240
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• 2008

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the nutritional status and characteristics related to malnutrition in children less than five years of age in Nghean, Vietnam. Methods: In this study, which was conducted in November 2007, 650 child-mother pairs were selected using a two-stage cluster sampling methodology. A structured questionnaire was then administered to the mothers in their home settings. Anthropometric measurement was then used to determine if children were underweight (weight-for-age), wasting (weight-for-height) and stunting (height-for-age) based on reference data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/World Health Organization (WHO). Logistic regression analysis was then used to describe the hierarchical relationships between potential risk factors and malnutrition. Results: The mean Z-scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height were -1.46 (95% CI=-1.57, -1.35), -1.44 (95% CI=-1.56, -1.32) and -0.71 (95% CI=-0.82, -0.60), respectively. Of the children included in this study, 193 (31.8%) were underweight, 269 (44.3%) were stunting and 72 (11.9%) were wasting. Region of residence, the mother's level of education and occupation, household size, number of children in the family, weight at birth and duration of exclusive breastfeeding were found to be significantly related to malnutrition. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that malnutrition is still an important problem among children less than five years of age in Nghean, Vietnam. In addition, maternal, socio-economic and environment factors were found to be significant factors for malnutrition among children under five.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the pattern and factors associated with women's use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) during postpartum in Korea. Methods: With a descriptive survey design, data of 423 postpartum women were collected via online and offline surveys. Results: A total of 251 women (59.3%) reported CAM use during postpartum. Eating animal-based foods (65.3%), plant-based health foods (52.2%), and using oriental medicine (31.8%) were commonly used in postpartum women. The reason for using CAM were physical recovery (39.1%), breastfeeding (29.7%), weight loss (24.8%), prevention of postpartum complications (5.1%), and others (1.3%). People who recommended CAM use was mainly family (41.3%), and expense of using CAM was 751,188 Korea won. Most women discussed CAM use with doctor (44.9%), and 29.3% of women didn't even consult CAM use with health care providers. Most of (72.3%) women were satisfied with CAM use. Higher level of education and monthly income, being employed, primipara, normal range of gestational weight gain, no abortion experience, and no maternal complication were significantly associated with CAM use in postpartum women. Conclusion: Results of this study were somewhat different from those of western research. Findings offer baseline data of CAM use in postpartum women, and health care providers need to understand it when they care for them.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.10
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• pp.149-157
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• 2018

This study was conducted using the National Health and Nutrition Survey data for 2010-2014 to investigate the relationship between pregnancy-related health factors and periodontitis in adult women. Dependent variable was periodontitis, and independent variables, pregnancy-related health factors(duration of lactation and number of pregnancies) were analyzed. Socioeconomic variables and health-related behaviors were corrected by confounding variables. The number of pregnancies and periodontitis were highly correlated after adjusting for various confounding factors [odds ratio for women with 2-3 pregnancies: 2.66 (95% confidence interval(CI): 1.56-4.54); The odds ratio for women with four or more pregnancies 3.02 (95% CI: 1.70-5.36). In conclusion, periodontitis is closely related to the number of pregnancies and this will be used as basic data for development of oral health education programs for women and pregnant women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.6147-6150
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• 2013

Background: Breast feeding is considered to be mutually beneficial for both mothers and infants, though the effect of lactation problems on development of breast lesions (whether benign or malignant) is not clear. Objectives: This study was conducted to identify possible relations between lactation problems and benign and malignant breast disease. Materials and Methods: 308 patients referred to two referral breast clinics in Tehran, the capital city of IR Iran, between January 2008 and January 2011, were recruited. They were interviewed by a standard questionnaire regarding breast feeding problems. The study population was classified in 3 major groups; breast feeding without any problem, unwillingness to breast feed according to whether mothers' preference not to feed or some breast problems like mastitis, and finally insufficient milk that caused the mothers to feed their babies with formula. Results: Recruiting binary logistic regression method, mother's unwillingness to feed her child by breast milk, and also breast problems such as mastitis and abscess during lactation period showed significant relation with both benign and malignant breast diseases (p value<0.01). Surprisingly, inadequate milk was not associated with any of these conditions. Conclusions: We concluded that lactation problems which involve normal milk drainage from the breast may play an important role in whether the mother wll subsequently develope both benign and malignant pathologies. In contrast in the situation that the production of the milk is not sufficient and there are no intentional or unintentional problems in drainage of the produced milk, future problems would not be more common.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.205-210
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• 2013

Purpose: The aim of this study was to recognize the state of vitamin D among healthy infants aged 1 to 6 months in South Korea, and also to identify the risk factors affecting the level of vitamin D. Methods: A total of 117 infants were enrolled in this study for 12 months, from March 1, 2011 to February 29, 2012. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase were measured and data including birth weight, body weight, sex, feeding pattern, delivery mode, siblings and maternal age and occupation were collected. Data was mainly analyzed with independent t-test model. Results: We determined that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (serum 25[OH]D<20 ng/mL [50 mmol/L]) was 48.7% in the population investigated. Particularly in breastfed infants, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was strikingly high (90.4%). The mean serum level of 25(OH)D in breastfed infants was lower than that of formula fed infants (9.35 ng/mL vs. 28.79 ng/mL). Also female infants showed lower mean serum level of 25(OH)D than male. Mean serum values of calcium and phosphorus had positive correlation with vitamin D state (P<0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was found to be very common in infants aged 1 to 6 months in South Korea, and breast feeding was the most critical risk factor of vitamin D deficiency. Therefore we suggest to start vitamin D supplementation in South Korea, as soon as possible, to all infants, including breastfed and female infants.