• Title/Summary/Keyword: K병원

Search Result 10,780, Processing Time 0.043 seconds

Feeding Introlerance Due to Allergic Enterocolitis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants (극소 저체중 출생아에서 식이 불내성을 임상적 특징으로 하는 알레르기성 장염)

  • Ko, Yu-Mi;Kim, Jin-Kyu;Ahn, So-Yoon;Yoo, Hye-Soo;Jeon, Ga-Won;Kim, Eun-Sun;Chang, Yun-Sil;Park, Won-Soon
    • Neonatal Medicine
    • /
    • v.18 no.2
    • /
    • pp.204-210
    • /
    • 2011
  • Purpose: Feeding intolerance is common in very low birth weight infants(VLBWI); however, research on the etiology is limited. We investigated the incidence of allergic enterocolitis (AEC) as a cause of feeding intolerance and present the clinical characteristics of VLBWIs. Methods: The medical records of VLBWIs admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Samsung Medical Center between January 2009 and July 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. AEC was defined as patients who had feeding intolerance with eosinophila and who responded to hypoallergenic feeding intervention. Feeding intolerance symptoms included blood tinged stools, abdominal distension, residual feeding and regurgitation. Eosinophilia was defined as an eosinophil count ${\geq}$700 cells/$mm^3$. Patients with feeding intolerance were divided into the AEC or non-AEC group. Results: Of the 181 patients, 161 (88.9%) had a feeding intolerance, and 119 (65.7%) had eosinophilia. Seventeen infants were diagnosed with AEC. No difference in mean gestational age, birth weight, antibiotics duration, TPN duration, hospitalization, or symptom onset day was observed between patients with AEC and non-AEC patients. The percentage of eosinophilia was significantly higher in patients with AEC than in non-AEC patients. Two patients (12%) improved with restricted breast milk, 10 patients (59%) with extensively hydrolyzed formula and five patients (29%) with free amino acid-based formula. Conclusion: Our results suggest that AEC should be considered in VLBWIs who have clinical features of feeding intolerance and eosinophilia. An aggressive increase in feeding would be possible through feeding intervention in VLBWIs with feeding intolerance.

Characteristics of Pneumothorax in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

  • Lim, Ho-Seop;Kim, Ho;Jin, Jang-Yong;Shin, Young-Lim;Park, Jae-Ock;Kim, Chang-Hwi;Kim, Sung-Shin
    • Neonatal Medicine
    • /
    • v.18 no.2
    • /
    • pp.257-264
    • /
    • 2011
  • Purpose: The development of postnatal pneumothorax and its common causes and clinical aspects were studied to promote early diagnosis and proper management. Methods: A retrospective study of neonates who were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital from 2001 to 2010 was performed. Term neonates were divided into a spontaneous pneumothorax group and a secondary pneumothorax group. The secondary group was divided into term and preterm groups. Results: Of 4,414 inpatients, 57 (1.3%) were diagnosed with pneumothorax. Of term newborn patients, 28 (80%) had a secondary pneumothorax, and seven (20%) had a spontaneous pneumothorax. No differences were observed for gender, birth weight, resuscitation, or duration of admission between the spontaneous and control groups. The duration of treatment with a thoracostomy (20 patients, 57%) was longer in the spontaneous group (5.4${\pm}$2.9 days vs. 2.7${\pm}$2.0 days) than that in the control group. Patients with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) developed a pneumothorax 22.8 hours after surfactant treatment, whereas patients with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), pneumonia, and meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) developed pneumothorax after 16.6 hours. Of 50 patients with a secondary pneumothorax, 19 (38%) had RDS, 11 (22%) had MAS, 7 (14%) had TTN, and six (12%) had pneumonia. Among term newborns, 42.9% were treated only with 100% oxygen. Among preterm newborns, 72.6% and 27.3% needed a thoracostomy or ventilator care, respectively. Conclusion: A pneumothorax is likely to develop when pulmonary disease occurs in neonates. Therefore, it is important to carefully identify pneumothorax and provide appropriate treatment.

Identification of Characteristics and Risk Factors Associated with Mortality in Hydrops Fetalis (태아수종의 특성 및 사망률과 연관된 위험인자)

  • Ko, Hoon;Lee, Byong-Sop;Kim, Ki-Soo;Won, Hye-Sung;Lee, Pil-Ryang;Shim, Jae-Yoon;Kim, Ahm;Kim, Ai-Rhan
    • Neonatal Medicine
    • /
    • v.18 no.2
    • /
    • pp.221-227
    • /
    • 2011
  • Purpose: The objectives were to identify the characteristics of neonates with hydrops fetalis, and to identify the risk factors associated with mortality. Methods: A retrospective review of AMC (Asan Medical Center) dataset was performed from January 1990 to June 2009. The characteristics of 71 patients with hydrops fetalis were investigated and they were divided into two groups: the survived group and the expired group. Various perinatal and neonatal factors in two groups were compared to find out risk factors associated with mortality based on univariate analysis, followed by multiple regression analyses (SPSS version 18.0). Results: Of those 71 neonates (average gestational age: 33 weeks, birth weight: 2.6 kg), 38 survived, 33 died, resulting in overall mortality rate of 46.5%. The most common etiology was idiopathic followed by chylothorax, cardiac anomalies, twin-to-twin transfusion, meconium peritonitis, cardiac arrythmias, and congenital infections. Factors that were associated independently with mortality in logistic regression analyses were low 5-minutes Apgar score, hyaline membrane disease and delayed in achieving 50th percentile ideal body weight for appropriate gestational age by 10 days. Conclusion: In this study, 5-minutes Apgar score, hyaline membrane disease and delayed in achieving 50th percentile ideal body weight for appropriate gestational age by 10 days were significant risk factors associated with mortality in hydrops fetalis. Therefore, the risk of death among neonates with hydrops fetalis depends on the illness immediately after birth and severity of hydrops fetalis. Informations from this study may prove useful in prediction of prognosis to neonates with hydrops fetalis.

A Clinicopathological Analysis of 52 Cases of Renal Biopsy in Children (소아에서 시행한 신장 조직검사 52례에 대한 임상병리적 분석)

  • Yang Jong-Il;Lee Jae-Ho
    • Childhood Kidney Diseases
    • /
    • v.8 no.2
    • /
    • pp.205-213
    • /
    • 2004
  • Purpose: To evaluate the clinical manifestations of various glomerular diseases in children, a clinicopathological study was performed in 52 children who had renal biopsy. The type and relative incidence of the glomerular pathologies were analyzed, and the clinical predictability and usefulness of renal biopsy in glomerular diseases were assessed. Methods: Medical records of fifty two children with renal disease who had undergone percutaneous renal biopsy under ultrasonic guidance at Chungnam University Hospital from October 1995 to August 2003 were reviewed. In addition, we compared the clinical findings before renal biopsy with the pathological diagnosis. Results: The male to female ratio was 1.6:1 and they were $9.8\pm2.6$ years old on average. The chief complaints for biopsy were hematuria in 22 cases which was the most common (42.3%), proteinuria in 16 cases(30.8%), and hematuria & proteinuria(26.9%). Among the 22 cases of hematuria, there were 15 cases of gross hematuria(68.2%) and 7 cases of microscopic hematuria(31.8%). In terms of histopathologic diagnosis, most of them were primary glomerular diseases(84.6%), which included IgA nephropathy(28.8%), thin glomerular basement membrane disease(25.0%), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis(FSGS)(11.5%), membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis(7.7%), minimal change lesion(3.8%), acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis(3.8%) and membranous glomerulonephritis(3.8%). The clinical manifestations and pathologic diagnosis were not correlated. Conclusion: The clinical manifestations could not predict the pathological diagnosis. Therefore, renal biopsy would be inevitable in diagnosis of glomerular diseases for effective management and assessment of prognosis.

  • PDF

Epidemics of Ascetic Meningitis in Kyoungsangnamdo from May to August, 1996 (96년도 상반기에 경상남도 중부지방에서 유행한 무균성 뇌막염에 대한 고찰)

  • Kwon, Oh Su;Lee, Kyoung Lim;Kim, Won Youb;Jung, Won Jo;Ma, Sang Hyouk;Lee, Kyu Man
    • Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
    • /
    • v.4 no.1
    • /
    • pp.97-105
    • /
    • 1997
  • Purpose : Aseptic meningitis mainly caused by enterovirus is common in pediatric population especially during summer & fall. Most of pediatric patients restore their health without any complications with proper management. Between May to August of 1996, Masan and surrounding areas of the Kyoungsangnamdo were epidemic areas for the aseptic meningitis. The purpose of this study was to determine causative virus and describe correlation between disease and clinical symptoms in aseptic meningitis patients and those with fever and characteristic rashes without apparent meningitis symptoms. Methods : Between May to August, 1996, 57 patients with high fever and characteristic feature of rashes were reviewed. From 22 cerebrospinal fluid & 57 stool obtained specimens, viral culture and detection of enterovirus RNA were conducted. Collected specimens were kept in $-30^{\circ}C$ environment until sending of specimens to labortory. The virus identified through indirect immunofluorescence. RT-PCR method was used to identify enterovirus RNA in cerebralspinal fluid. Results : 1) One hundred fifty five pediatric patients with viral infection required hospitalization. Disease occurred higher rate in male than female with ratio of 1.94:1. Examined patients' age ranged from 15days old to 15years old. But most of patients(74.8%) were under age of 5years old. The time of occurrence was between May to August of 1996. 2) All patients had high fever and physical symptoms in those patients include headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rashes. The rashes observed mainly in patients under age of 4 years and were predominantly commom patients under age of 18 months olds)<0.001). 3) Between sampled patients and non-sampled patients, clinical course was similar. Echovirus type 9 was cultivated in 41 out of 57 cases of collected stool specimens. RT-PCR that used on CSF showed positive results in 10 out of 22 cases. Three cases of positive cultivated of positive results in RT-PCR were echovirus type 9. Conclusions : Echovirus type 9 was thought to be the causative agent of aseptic meningitis that was prevalent throughout mid areas of Kyoungsangnamdo from May to August, 1996. Additionally causative agent that responsible for high fever with rashes without meningitis symptoms also thought to be the same echovirus type 9.

  • PDF

Embolectomy of Arteries of Extremities -Clinical analysis of 26 cases (사지동맥의 색전제거술 -26례의 분석-)

  • 강종렬;구본일
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
    • /
    • v.30 no.2
    • /
    • pp.172-178
    • /
    • 1997
  • We present a etrospective analysis of arterial embolectomies performed at the Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital. During the period of March 1987 Feburary 1996 twenty-six patients underwent embolectomies, eighteen patients were male and eight patients were female, mean age of patients was 56.8 years. Rest pain was the chief complaint in 24 patients, the remaining two patients complained of long term history of claudication after recovery of acute symtoms. But only 10 patients had sensBrylmotor symtoms. Heart was the most common source of embolization and frequent predisposing factor of embolism was ischemic heart disease in 8 cases and valvular heart disease in 11 cases. The sites of embolization were upper extremities artery in 6 cases, saddle embolism in 2 cases, lower extremities artery in 18 cases and the most common site of embolism was femoral artery in 1 1 cases. Preoperative angiography was taken in the diagnosis and planning of the embolectomy in 1) patients while in the other patient p eoperative angiography was not taken. Only two cases were operated within the golden period of 6 hours and other cases were operated in more than 6 hours after embolization. In all patients, the Fogarty embolectomy catheter was used without bypass surgery via bachial ateriotomy in the embolism of upper extremities artery, bilateral groin approaches in the saddle embolism and transfemoral approach in the embolism of lower extremities artery. However 3 patients were re-operated via transpopliteal approach in the distal poplitiotibial embolism. Eighteen patients received perioperative anticoagulation therapy by heparin or fraxiparine and wafarin was used in 17 patients at the time of discharge and the indication of anticogulation was patients of valvular heat disease andfor atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery atherosclerosis and recurrent embolism. Postoperative results of the embolectomy were as follows: fouteen pateints had excellent results, five cases had symtom improvement after re-operation, B. K. amputation in 1 case who had severe atherosclerosis of lower extremities, recurrent embolism in 1 case and death in 2 cases the cause of death were acute renal failure and cerebral artery embolism, respectively. The complications of the embolectomy were reperfusion syndrome, pseudoaneurysm and intimal dissection in one case each. Conclusively the problems of embolism is delayed diagnosis and increasing number of old aged patient who had suffered from ischemic heart diease. Preoperative angiography was not always needed for embol ectomy. Selective anticoagulation therapy can decrease incidence of re-embolism. In the distal poplitiotibial embolism, embolectomy of tibial artery was difficult.

  • PDF

The Role of Applied Nutritionist (영양과 지역사회 개발 - 2. 영양지도원(營養指導員)의 역할(役割) -)

  • Chun, Sung-Kyu
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
    • /
    • v.9 no.4
    • /
    • pp.4-8
    • /
    • 1976
  • 영양지도원(營養指導員)은 자신(自身)이 알고 있는 기술(技術)을 다른 사람에게 전달(傳達)하여 그 사람으로 하여금 지도원(指導員)이 원하는 방향(方向)으로 행동(行動)을 하도록 해야 한다. 따라서 다른 사람을 지도(指導)하려면은 우선 지도원 자신(指導員自身)의 우수한 자질(資質)"이 필요(必要) 하며 이를 위(爲)하여 기술자(技術者)로서의 연마(硏磨)와 겸(兼)하여 인간(人間)의 지도자(指導者)로서의 수양(修養)을 쌓아야 한다. 그리하여 영양개선(營養改善) 의 선도적(先導的) 점화자(點火者)로 "뒤에서 계속 미는" 지원자(支援者)로서의 역할(役割)을 수행(遂行)하여야 한다. (1) 현직능별(現職能別) 영양지도원(營養指導員)의 범위(範圍)를 보건소(保健所)의 보건지도원(保健指導員), 농촌지도소(農村指導所)의 생활지도요원(生活指導要員), 군면(郡面)의 행정지도요원(行政指導要員), 농협(農協)의 부여지도요원(婦女指導要員), 의료계(醫療界)의 의사(醫師), 간호원(看護員), 조산원(助産員), 학교(學校) 교육기관(敎育機關)의 교사(敎師), 영양사(營養士), 영리회사(營利會社)의 사원(社員) 등을 들 수 있다. (2) 지도대상(指導對象)과 그 장소(場所)는 공장(工場), 학교(學校), 훈련장(訓練場), 병원(病院), 복지시설(福祉施設)과 공동취사(共同炊事) 재해시등(災害時等)의 집단급식장(集團給食場)과 이를 이용(利用)하는 對象者(대상자) 도시(都市) 농촌(農村)의 일반가정(一般家庭)의 주민(住民), 그리고 교실(敎室)에서 학교교과목(學校敎科目)을 통(通)한 학생(學生)의 학습(學習) 새마을운동(運動) 공보시설(公報施設)을 통(通)하여 대중(大衆)에게 "지도(指導)를 지도원(指導員)이" 전개(展開)할 수 있다. (3) 지도방법(指導方法)은 일반적(一般的) 학교교육과정(學校敎育過程)의 교육방법(敎育方法)을 적용(適用)하되 교외교육(校外敎育)이라는 점(點)을 잊어서는 안된다. 현실적(現實的)으로 이론(理論)과 경험(經驗)을 병행활용(倂行活用)하며 영양학(營養學)의 연구결과(硏究結果)가 반드시 또 는 곧 가정생활(家庭生活) 개인생활(個人生活)에 적응(適應)되는 것이 아니며, 행동화(行動化)되지 않는 지식(知識)과 기술(技術)은 무용(無用)하게 되므로 "다고 말 할 수 있다. 따라서 영양개선(營養改善)을 지도(指導)하는 지도원(指導員)은 받아들이는 가정(家庭)이나 개인(個人)의 입장(立場)에서 여러 가지 여건을 파악 최대공약수(最大公約數)의 가능치(可能値)를 알아내서 지도(指導)해야 된다. (4) 영양지도(營養指導)는 기술(技術)이 ,포함(包含)되어 있기 때문에 기술(技術)의 전달과정(傳達過程)을 분석(分析)해야 되고 (5) 지도원(指導員) 자신의 무장(武裝)을 위(爲)하여 자신(自身)의 기술지도(技術指導) 방법(方法), 인간지도자(人間指導者)로서의 능력향상(能力向上)을 독서(讀書), 교육(敎育), 훈련(訓練) 을 통(通)하여 배워 기술자(技術者)로서 인간지도자(人間指導者)로서 전달자(傳達者)로 서의 교양(敎養)을 가져야 한다. (6) 지도원(指導員)의 활동성과(活動成果)는 지도원(指導員) 자신의 열의(熱意)와 받아들이는 사람의 열의(熱意)에 의(依)하여 좌우(左右)된다. 즉(卽) 지도원(指導員)의 열의(熱意)${\times}$피지도자(被指導者)의 열의(熱意)=지도성과(指導成果) $[L{\times}P=f(L{\cdot}P)]$로 나타난다. 결론적(結論的)으로 지도원(指導員)은 영양개선(營養改善)의 전문적(專門的) 각 요소(各要素)를 깊이 알고 이것을 다시 종합(綜合)하고 체계화(體系化)할 줄 알며 직능별(職能別) 각 지도원(各指導員)과의 상호(相互) 협조(協助)로 서로 보완(補完)하고 새마을 운동(運動)과 그 직장(職場) 또는 환경(環境)여건에 결부(結付)되고 현실적(現實的)으로 행동화(行動化)할 수 있는 단계적(的) 장단기계획(長短期計劃)과 평가방법(評價方法)을 숙지(熟知)하여 또 지도방법(指導方法)에 필요(必要)한 교재(敎材)를 충실(充實)히 준비하여 자신(自身)의 실력(實力)을 충분(充分)히 발휘할 수 있도록 하여 자기 열의(熱意)를 다하고" 영양개선(營養改善)의 선도적(先導的) 점화자(點火者)로서 "계속 뒤에서 미는" 지원자(支援者)로서 사명(使命)을 다할 때 그 역할(役割)을 다하는 것이다.

  • PDF

A Study of Home Care Needs of Patients at Discharge and Effects of Home Care -Centered on Patients Discharged from a Rural General Hospilal- (퇴원환자의 가정간호요구와 가정간호사업의 효과 분석 - 일 종합병원을 중심으로)

  • Choi, Yun Soon;Kim, Dai Hyun;Storey, Margaret;Kim, Cho Ja;Kang, Kyu Sook
    • The Korean Nurse
    • /
    • v.31 no.4
    • /
    • pp.77-99
    • /
    • 1992
  • The study was carried out at W. hospital, an affiliated hospital of Y university, involved a total of 163 patients who were discharged from the hospital between May 1990 und March 199J. Data collection was twice, just prior to discharge and a minimum of three months post discharge. Thirty patients who lived within a hour travel time of the hospital received home care during the three months post discharge. Nursing diagnoses and nursing interventions For these patients were analyzed in this study. The results of the study are summarized as follows : 1. Discharge needs for the subjects of the study were analyzed using Gordon's eleven Functional categories and it was found that 48.3% of the total sample had identified nursing needs. Of these, the needs most frequently identified were in the categories of sexuality, 79.3 %, health perception, 68.2 % self concept, 62.5 %, and sleep and rest 62.5 %. Looking ut j he nursing diagnosis that were made for the 30 patients receiving home care, the following diagnoses were the most frequently given; alteration in sexual pattern 79.3%, alterations in health maintenance, 72.6%, alteration in comfort, 68.0%, depression, 64.0%, noncompliance with diet therapy, 6.3.7%, alteration in self concept, 55.6%, and alteration in sleep pattern, 53%. 2. In looking at the effects of home nursing care as demonstrated by changes in the functional categories over the three month period, it was Found that of the 11 functional categories, the need level for health perception, nutrition, activity and self concept decreased slightly over the three month period. On the average sleep patterns improved, but restfulness was slightly less and bowel elimination patterns improved but satisfaction with urinary elimination was slightly less. On the other hand, role enactment, sexuality, stress management and spirituality decreased slightly. The only results that were statistically significant at the 0.05 level were improvement. in digestion and decrease in pain. No statistically significant changes were found in ability related to ADL, the total ADL Score at discharge was $19.78{\pm}8.234, and after 3 months $19.01{\pm}8.12$. Considering that a majority of the patients were over 60 years of age and that many had brain or spinal cord injuries, the fact that their ADL ability did nor deteriorate after discharge can be interpreted as related to a positive impact by the home health care nurses. Similarly there was a slight be not statistically significant decrease in the quality of life scores between the two lest times(l47.83 at discharge and 113.02 at the three month period). Again, when the chronic nature of thee problems facing these patients is considered this maintenance of quality of life can be interpreted as a positive impact by the home health care nurses. 3. One of the home care nursing activities was diagnosis. For this activity it was found that for nine functional health categories(sexuality and spirituality excepted) there were 20 nursing diagnoses. The most frequent were noncompliance, alteration in skin integrity both actual and potential, and impaired physical mobility in that order. 4. Delivery of home health care by the home health nurses included the following nursing activities; assessment, patient education, demonstration of care activities, counselling, direct care to the patient and referrals. Direct care included changing dressings, bladder irrigations, changing Foley catheters, measurement of residual urine, perineal care, position change, back care, oral hygiene, exercise and massage of motion exercises, cleansing enemas, tracheostomy suctioning and tracheostomy care, care of dentures, applications of heat and other similar nursing activities. In conclusion almost 50% of (he sample indicated a need for continued nursing care at the time of discharge and for the patients in the sample who received home care there was a slight decrease in nursing needs but while the patients had chronic and debilitation problems there was ill decrease in ADL abilities or in quality of life. Further study needs Lo be done La increase the reliability and validity of the tool that was used to measure home health care needs. It is also recommended that study by done using a randomized sampling with a control group to compare patients who receive home care with those who do not.

  • PDF

Short-lasting headaches in children and adolescents (소아청소년에서 short-lasting headaches)

  • Rho, Young-il
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
    • /
    • v.52 no.8
    • /
    • pp.869-874
    • /
    • 2009
  • Purpose : Short attacks of headache are present in the pediatric age group. Short-lasting headaches (SLH) have been infrequently reported in children and adolescents. This study aims to assess the prevalence, clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of short-lasting headaches in children and adolescents. Methods : One hundred twenty-three consecutive patients attended the Chosun University Hospital Headache Center between March 2006 and July 2007. Among 123 headache patients, 44 patients with one key criterion, namely, recurrent headaches episodes of a few seconds to less than 30 minutes, were selected. Results : Of the 123 headache patients, 44 (35.8%, males 18, females 26) had SLH. The mean age was 9.24 years (range 2.3-14.2). The mean headache frequency was $11.50{\pm}10.30$ per month, mean severity was $4.86{\pm}1.36$ out of 10, and the mean PedMIDAS score was $7.97{\pm}17.51$. SLH was significantly more common in children <6 years old (10/22, 45.5%) than in ${\geq}6$ years old (34/101, 33.7%) (P=0.015). The nature of pain was pressure in 30.2%, stabbing in 27.9%, throbbing in 18.6%, and dull in 11.7%. In 52.4% patients, the pain occurred in the front, one side of the temple in 28.5%, both sides of the temple in 7.1%, and back in 4.8% patients. The duration of attacks was <6 minutes in 38% and ${\geq}6$ minutes in 61.4%. The intensity of the pain was 4-6 out of 10 in 75.0%, in 13.6% 1-3, and in 11.4% 7-10. Treatment was significantly effective in reducing the frequency, duration, and severity of headaches and the PedMIDAS score after 3 months (P<0.05). Conclusion : Short attacks of headache are common (35.8%) in children and adolescents. These are difficult to classify according to International Headache Society criteria. The outcome, after a period of 3 months to 2 years, was favorable in most patients. Further studies are needed to gather more data and to obtain a better description of these forms of headache in the pediatric group.

"Improving women's and children's health in DPRK" project funded by the Republic of Korea (현재 진행되고 있는 남북한 의료협력사업 : 영유아 지원 사업을 중심으로)

  • Shin, Young-Jeon
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
    • /
    • v.51 no.7
    • /
    • pp.671-689
    • /
    • 2008
  • The economic recession of North Korea has been prolonged, the need for humanitarian assistance for the women and children of DPRK has been raised. In March 2006, South Korean government signed MOU with World Health Organization (WHO) to financially support "Improving Women's and Children's Health in DPRK (IWCH)" project. The assistance projects through UNICEF and the non-government organizations of South Korea were also followed. IWCH project consists of three parts; nutrition, disease management, children and maternity care. The first term (2006-2007) of the project leading by WHO was finished, and the second term (2008-2010) is just begun. The projects driven by NGOs have relatively been delayed due to difficulties in negotiating on project contents and places with North Korea. Recently, however, re-modeling processes of an obstetric/gynecology hospital and a children hospital in Nampo were started. Up to recently, South Korean government has played only a limited role in the humanitarian assistance for North Korea. IWCH project is, however, a full-scale initiative driven by government based on a systematic review of need and priorities. A significant amount of budget and relatively long term (five year) project compare to the previous short term and small size programs were expected to make more meaningful achievement. Despite these positive aspects, the project remains a list of unsolved problems a lack of mutual trust, a different decision making process between South and North Korea, a lack of conflict management process, and unpredictability and complexity of international politics. In spite of such kind of political uncertainty, the health care sector will be a leading area in the process of improving relationship between South and North Korea, particularly, humanitarian assistance for women and children will play a crucial role in the process. The successful implementation of IWCH project, therefore, will contribute to provide the reference model in developing the mutually constructive relationship between South and North