• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.116-135
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• 1994

China's population and family planning program has heen successful. Women's fertility as measured by total fertility rate (TFR) has declined from 5.8 in 1970 to 2.3 in 1990, accordingly the annual crude birth rate(CBR) has declined from 34 per thousand in 1970 to 21 per thousand in 1989, and the annual natural growth rate from 2.6 percent in 1970 to 1.4 percent in 1989 (Coale and Chen, 1987; SSB, 1991; Gu, 1994). While this is indeed an astonishing achievement for a developing country to have its fertility down to replacement within a short period, some new issues emerging along with the rapid fertility decline require careful considerations. One of them is the uprising of the sex ratio at birth in China. The 1990 population census reported the sex ratio at birth in China of 113.8 in 1989, which is ohviously much higher than the acceptable level of normal ratio around 106. It has received since then a lot of tention in China and abroad, among demographic professionals and governmental agencies alike (Hull, 1990; Johansson and Nygren, 1991; Xuand Guo, 1991; Tu, 1993; Gu and Xu, 1994; among others). Based on the available demographic data and research results this paper will first have a review of the patterns and trends of sex ratio at birth in China, then turn to the immediate causes of abnormal sex ratio at birth and the determinants of the son preference, followed with a conceptual framework for understanding of the phenomenon, and finally the policy implications and recommendations will be discussed.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.14-31
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• 1988

The national family planning program in Korea, which was instituted as an integral part of the nation's economic development plans since 1962, has contributed greatly to a reduction in the fertility and population growth rate. The total fertility rate dipped from 6.0 births per women in 1960 to 2.0 in 1985, and the population growth rate rom 2.84 percent per year to 1.25 percent during the same period, while the contraceptive practice rate for the 15-44 married women increased from 9 percent in 1965 to 70 percent in 1985. Study findings indicate that the fertility reduction in the past 26 years is largely attributed to the virgorous implementation of the national family planning program, rising age at marriage, wide-spread use of induced abortion, and the changes in attitude regarding the value of children that came into being in the wake of the rapid socio-economic development over the period. Among the strengths of the national family planning program are the following : 1) a pluralistic system of program manageent with active participation of various government and voluntary organizations, 2) utilization of a large corps of family planning field workers to conduct face-to-face communication and motivation activities, 3) use of private physicians with government support to provide contraceptive services, 4) a systematic program management system including program planning of traget allocation, evaluation, and supervision with a broad MIS and award system, 5) numerous incentive and disincentive schemes for stimulating the small family norm and contraceptive use, and 6) strong commitments to the family planning program by political leaders. The new demographic targets during the Sixth Five-Year Economic and Social Development plan period(1987-91) have been set for a further reduction in the population growth rate to 1.0 percent by 1993, assuming that the TFR will decline to 1.75 level in 1995. This target is, however, not easy to achieve due to anticipated unfavorable factors like the strong boy preference, high discontinuation rates of reversible contraceptive methods, fertility termination-oriented contraceptive use, a plateau level of contraceptive practice rate that has mostly accounted for a sterilization, shortened length of birth intervals, and the changing patterns of contraceptive mix. The recent changes in contraceptive and fertility behaviors clearly indicate that the past quantity-oriented management system of the national program should be redirected toward a quality-oriented approach. Particularly, program efforts should be expanded to recruit new contraceptive users in the 20s of younger age groups, both for birth spacing and controlling their fertility since the women aged 20 to 29 account for more than 80 percent of the total annual births in recent years. In addition, the current contraceptive fee system of the national family planning program should be gradually shifted from free contraceptive services to a acceptor's charge system, and the provision of contraceptive services through the medical insurance system, which will cover the entire population by 1989, should be accelerated as a means of integration of family planning program with other health programs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2021.05a
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• pp.496-498
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• 2021

In Korea, based on the high fertility rate before 1980, the total population has been steadily increasing, and since the mid-1980s, the fertility rate has fallen sharply and has fallen below the level of population replacement. The cause of low birth rate in the region is not voluntary rejection, but rather, it is necessary to find out the cause by identifying the structural causes of the local community from various angles. We collected local Internet news and local representative cafe data, where many mothers participate, based on the budget area with a very low fertility rate among various areas. Factors of childbirth inhibition were analyzed by using the frequency of concurrent words that became issues related to population decline, low birthrate, and child-rearing welfare.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.187-192
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• 2017

Although the survival rate of hematologic malignancies in young patients is very high, cytotoxic therapies such as chemotherapy and total body irradiation therapy can significantly reduce a patient's reproductive capacity and cause irreversible infertility. Early ovarian failure also commonly occurs following additional cancer treatment, bone marrow transplantation, or autologous transplantation. Because the risk of early ovarian failure depends on the patient's circumstances, patients with a hematologic malignancy must consult health professionals regarding fertility preservation before undergoing treatments that can potentially damage their ovaries. While it is widely known that early menopause commonly occurs following breast cancer treatment, there is a lack of reliable study results regarding fertility preservation during hematologic malignancy treatment. Therefore, an in-depth discussion between patients and health professionals about the pros and cons of the various options for fertility preservation is necessary. In this study, we review germ cell toxicity, which occurs during the treatment of hematologic malignancies, and propose guidelines for fertility preservation in younger patients with hematologic malignancies.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

In Korean women, a westernized lifestyle is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Fertility preservation has become an increasingly important issue for women with breast cancer, in accordance with substantial improvements in survival rate after cancer treatment. The methods of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for fertility preservation in breast cancer patients have been modified to include aromatase inhibitors to reduce the potential harm associated with increased estradiol levels. Random-start COH and dual ovarian stimulation are feasible options to reduce the total duration of fertility preservation treatment and to efficiently collect oocytes or embryos. Using a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist as a trigger may improve cycle outcomes in breast cancer patients undergoing COH for fertility preservation. In young breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations, especially BRCA1 mutations, the possibility of diminished ovarian reserve may be considered, although further studies are necessary. Herein, we review the current literature on the practical issues surrounding COH for fertility preservation in women with breast cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.148-152
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• 2011

Objective: Laser-assisted intracytoplasmic sperm injection (LA-ICSI), also known as micro-opening or thinning of the zona pellucida (ZP) prior to ICSI, may help to reduce mechanical damage to the oocyte during the procedure. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and analyze the efficacy of our institutional LA-ICSI program, which features laser-assisted ZP thinning prior to ICSI, in comparison with conventional ICSI (C-ICSI), performed on patients with different clinical characteristics. Methods: Patients undergoing a total of 212 ICSI cycles were randomly divided into an LA-ICSI group (106 cycles) and a conventional ICSI group (106 cycles). To reduce tissue damage, we thinned the ZP by approximately 70%, using a laser, before ICSI. Patients thus treated formed the LAICSI group. Comparisons included the morphological quality of transferred embryos, blastocyst development of the remaining embryos, and clinical pregnancy, in terms of ICSI method and patient characteristics. Results: Fertilization, development of remaining embryos, and pregnancy rate were significantly higher in the LA-ICSI group compared with the C-ICSI group. Fertilization, embryonic development, and the pregnancy rate were all improved in younger patients (<38 years of age) and in those who underwent a low number of IVF-ET attempts (<3 trials). In addition, the pregnancy rate was increased in older patients. Conclusion: LA-ICSI may be useful in improving the chance of pregnancy in all ICSI patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2019

Objective: As paternal age increases, the quality of sperm decreases due to increased DNA fragmentation and aneuploidy. Higher levels of structural chromosomal aberrations in the gametes ultimately decrease both the morphologic quality of embryos and the pregnancy rate. In this study, we investigated whether paternal age affected the euploidy rate. Methods: This study was performed using the medical records of patients who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures with preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) from January 2016 to August 2017 at a single center. Based on their morphological grade, embryos were categorized as good- or poor-quality blastocysts. The effects of paternal age were elucidated by adjusting for maternal age. Results: Among the 571 total blastocysts, 219 euploid blastocysts were analyzed by PGS (38.4%). When the study population was divided into four groups according to both maternal and paternal age, significant differences were only noted between groups that differed by maternal age (group 1 vs. 3, p= 0.031; group 2 vs. 4, p= 0.027). Further analysis revealed no significant differences in the euploidy rate among the groups according to the morphological grade of the embryos. Conclusion: Paternal age did not have a significant impact on euploidy rates when PGS was performed. An additional study with a larger sample size is needed to clarify the effects of advanced paternal age on IVF outcomes.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.203-210
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• 2001

To establish the recycling system of animal manure(AM) for environmental preservation and improve the utilization of AM, this study was to investigate the effects of the types and nitrogen application rate of AM on herbage productivity, efficiency of nitrogen utilization, nutritive value and an increase of soil fertility and in mixed grassland. This sudy was arranged in split plot design. Main plots were the types of AM(Cattle feedlot manure, CFM; Pig manure fermented with sawdust, PMFS; cattle sluny, CS) and subplots were the application rate of animal manure, such as 100, 200 and 300kgNiha. I. DM yields of herbage were the highest with CS and decreased by application over ZOOkgNiha AM. 2. Crude protein(CP) ontent was the highest with CFM and followed by CS, and the lowest with PMFS, and increased as application rate of AM increased. 3. Nitrogen(N) yields of CS treatment was higher than that of CFM and CS. and increased significantly as application rate of AM increased(P<0.05). 4. The contents of NDF, ADF and TDN was hardly influenced by the types and application rate of AM. 5. Organic matter(0M) content in the soil was the highest with PMFS and followed by CFM and the lowest with CS. OM content increased significantly as application rate of AM increased(P<0.05). 6. Total nitrogen content of the soil was not affected by the type of AM, but increased significantly as application rate of AM increased(P<0.05). (Key words : Animal manure, Grassland, Cattle feedlot manure, Pig manure fermented with sawdust, Cattle slurry, Soil fertility)

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.19-34
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• 2020

Objective: This study investigated the effects of the firstborn's gender and temperament on the fertility intention and follow-up childbirth of parents. Methods: A total 120 firstborns and their mothers were selected from the sample of the Panel Study on Korean Children. Child temperament traits were measured by Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire(ECBQ) and mothers stated their fertility intention in 2009 when their first child was under 2 years old. Follow-up childbirth of mothers was assessed from the data of PSKC in 2016. Results: The results indicated that there was a significant difference by gender in follow-up birth. Among aspects of temperament, fertility intention was affected by the firstborn's inhibitory control and follow-up birth was affected by the firstborn's gender and discomfort. For mothers with a boy, the firstborn's soothability affected mothers' follow-up childbirth. Conclusion/Implications: These results imply that gender and temperament of the first child are connected to mothers' fertility intention and follow-up childbirth. Extra studies are required to clarify how those factors affect mothers' parenting or psychological status. Meanwhile, the firstborn's gender and temperament should be considered when developing support programs for families with one child in order to increase follow-up birth rate.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.138-141
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• 1977

The total population of Korea in 1975 was 35,281,000 and population density was $357/km^2$, which is one of the highest rate of the countries in the world. In the early part of 1960's, prior to the initiation of national family planning program in 1962, the natural population increase rate in Korea was almost 3.0%. However, due to the positive support and activity of the national family planning program, the population growth rate has been dropped right below 2.0% in 1970, and decreased to 1.7% in 1975. The average number of children per woman was 5.8 in 1961 and has decreased steadily to 3.5 in 1975. However, traditional value like the 'boy-preference' concept may bring many difficulties of lowering the fertility rate, decreasing number of children less than three in the future. Rising marriage age which had much contributed to decrease the population growth showed preferably falling trends since 1970. There is a prospect that total number of birth will be continuously increased while the fertility rate may be fallen since the age group born during 'baby-boom' soon after the Korean war are becoming the reproductive age group at present time. Considering the above mentioned factors, family planning program should be much improved and strengthened and the government support is much required in order to meet the above mentioned objectives which maintain appropriate level of the population growth.