• Health Policy and Management
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.277-284
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• 2015

Background: This study investigates the relationship of socioeconomic status with adverse birth outcomes (low birth weight, preterm birth) and the relationship of socioeconomic status with infant mortality, using the birth cohort in Korea, 1995-2010. Methods: 8,648,035 births from National Statistics Offics, 1995-2010 were studied with respect to social variation in adverse birth outcomes and infant mortality in Korea. The effect of social inequality was examined against adverse birth outcomes and infant mortality using multivariate logistic regression after controlling for other covariates. Results: Social inequality were observed in adverse birth outcomes: low birth weight (LBW, 1,500-2,499 g), very LBW (1,000-1,499 g), and extremely LBW (500-999 g) as well as moderately preterm birth (PTB, 33-36 weeks), very PTB (28-32 weeks), extremely PTB (22-27 weeks), and infant mortality. The effect of social inequality was higher among moderately LBW (1,500-2,499 g) and PTB (33-36 weeks) than very or extremely LBW and PTB. Conclusion: The social inequality in adverse birth outcomes (low birth weight and preterm) and infant mortality existed and increased in Korea from 1995 to 2010. The effect of maternal education on adverse birth outcomes as well as infant mortality was apparent in the study results. Especially, social inequailiy in infant mortality was greater among the sub-normal births (low birth weight [1,500-2,499 g] or preterm birth [33-36 weeks]), which suggests, social interventions should aim at more among the subnormal births. This study suggest that tackling inequality in births as well as infant mortality should be focused on the social inequality itself.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.110-120
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• 2002

A phenomenological study is conducted to investigate the experience of mothers with very low birth weight. Sample of 8 mothers participate. Seven theme clusters emerge when the formulated meanings were organized into categories. The participants are 8 mothers who gave birth in the general hospital located in Kyunggi-Province and still live there. The data are collected from the intensive interviews on the experience of mothers whose baby is very low birth weight infant. Data collection is through in depth personal interviews two or three times with each mother. On the basis of the meanings of the experience of mothers with very low birth weight infant, the seven essential themes have been obtained Theme 1:Being surprised and perplexed due to the unexpected sudden delivery Theme 2:Experiencing emotional pain such as anxiety, sorrow, fear, confusion and self-blaming caused by a small and feeble baby. Theme 3: Pouring all their time and efforts into the baby under the acute tension Theme 4:Undergoing intolerable difficulties in confronting reality `Theme 5:Raising the special infant into an normal one by themselves Theme 6: Being on the vigilance for their baby even though they can be relieved Theme 7:Finding out a reward for the difficulties they have experienced The results obtained in this study will enable us to comprehensively understand the experience by mothers whose baby is very low birth weight infant and furthermore to provide a new insight which helps baby.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.172-179
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• 2021

Background: Evidence shows that fluconazole prophylaxis is an effective treatment against invasive fungal infections in preterm neonates, however, the most efficient schedule of fluconazole prophylaxis for the colonization and mortality of invasive candidiasis (IC) is unknown. Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficiency of different prophylactic fluconazole schedules in controlling IC colonization, infection, and mortality in very low birth weight (VLBW) and extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane databases using the keywords "candida," "invasive candidiasis," "IC," "fluconazole prophylaxis," "preterm infants," "very low birth weight infants," "VLBW," "extremely low birth weight," and "ELBW." Results: Mortality was significantly decreased in a meta-analysis of studies using different fluconazole prophylaxis regimens. The meta-analysis also indicated a significant decrease in the incidence of IC-associated mortality in ELBW infants using the same fluconazole prophylaxis schedules. Conclusion: Future studies should explore the effectiveness of other different fluconazole prophylaxis schedules on IC colonization, infection, and mortality.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.233-236
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• 2008

In recent years, Korea has experienced a steadily declining birth rate, which is a serious social problem in the country. Although living conditions have improved, the birth rates for low birth weight infants and preterm babies has increased because more and more women choose to give birth later in life and the social environment has changed. The rise in low birth weight infants may increase infant mortality rates and morbidity rates. However, the recent improvements in neonatal care has elevated the survival rate of low birth weight infants up to 90 percent and lowered the weight of the very low birth weight infants that can now be saved. In this study, we used dynamic population statistics from the Korea National Statistical Office, which represents the current trend of social stratification and the population of this period. We analyzed birth records for a seven-year period and studied the changes in the delivery rate of preterm and low birth weight infants and the problems related to those changes. The results show that the rate of low birth weight infants has increased from 3.79% to 4.35% for the past seven years. The rate of preterm babies rose from 3.79% to 4.89%. The number of babies born from mothers aged 35 or more went up from 6.69% to 11.83% of the total number of the babies born. As maternal age has risen, the risks of delivering a preterm or low birth weight infant have also increased.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.237-242
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• 2008

To investigate the trends in the survival rate (SR) for very low birth weight infants (VLBW) and extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWI) in Korea, a total of 43 articles pertaining to SR were analyzed, covering the years from 1967 to 2007. The changes in SR were compared using 5 year periods. The SR for VLBWI has increased remarkably, from 31.8% in early 1960 to 65.8% in early 1990 and 78.8% in early 2000. The SR for ELBWI has increased from 8.2% in early 1960 to 37.4% in early 1990 and 62.4% in early 2000. The SR has improved steeply since early 1990. When the SRs for VLBWI in Korea were compared with those in the U.S.A. and Japan, the figures were 40%, 72%, and 79% in 1985; 65.8%, 82%, and 86% in 1990; 71.3%, 86%, and 88% in 1995; 78.8%, 86%, and 89% in 2000, respectively. Although the recent SRs for VLBWI and ELBWI in Korea has improved rapidly, they have not yet reached the levels in these highly developed countries. To obtain accurate statistics that could be represented as an SR for premature infants in Korea, we have to develop a nationwide network database project.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2009

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) and extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWI) in Korea on 14 reports from 1984 to 2008 were analyzed. Follow-up rates were varied from 42.9% to 90.2%. Duration of follow-up ranged from 4 months to 5 years. The prevalence of cerebral palsy (CP) of VLBWI was as follows: 4.3-5.3% in 1980s, 7.1-9.1 % in 1990s and 3.6-15.6% in 2000s. CP was noted in 8.2-30.8% of ELBWI on studies reported in 2000s. Delayed Mental development was diagnosed in 2.0-17.9% of VLBWI and in 20.4-30.8% of ELBWI. Sensory impairments such as hearing loss or visual deficit were reported in 3.1-3.6% of VLBWI and 0.0-10.0% of ELBWI. Seizure disorder was reported in 5.3% of VLBWI by one report. No reports for minor neurodevelopmental dysfunctions in VLBWI and ELBWI were found from 1984 to 2008. It is necessary to establish basic protocols and nationwide systems for long-term follow-up study to obtain valuable data.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2004

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation of gestational age and birth weight with weight gain of very low birth weight infants(VLBWI) during their hospital stay. Method: This is a 5 year retrospective study of which data were collected through review of medical records. Subjects were 124 VLBW infants with a birth weight more than 1000g and less than 1500g who received neonatal intensive care at the university hospital between January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2001. Result: After calculating the z scores of birth weights and discharge weights, z scores of discharge weight and birth weight were compared with the median weight of a fetus of comparable gestational age based on an intrauterine growth reference. There was a significant difference between z scores of birth weight and discharge weight(t=11.60, df=122, p=0.000). Regardless of intensive care during the prolonged hospital stay, VLBW infants showed slow growth rate compared with the median weight of a fetus of comparable gestational age. Conclusion: VLBW infants developed a poor velocity of weight gain during the prolonged hospital stay after birth. The development worsened during the period of physiological weight loss and regain, and they did not reach to comparable growth rate of normal fetus even at the time of discharge. This poor growth velocity of VLBW infants influence negatively for their future growth. Therefore nureses who work at the neonatal intensive care unit must develop an effective nursing intervention protocol to promote the velocity of weight gain and to conduct the parental educational sessions to emphasize the importance of weight gain for VLBW infants at home.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2017

Objectives: The current study examined the effect of birth weight on the relationship between age and IQ of children, who were born preterm with very low birth weight (VLBW) or extremely low birth weight (ELBW). Methods: The study subjects were 82 children, aged between 3-5 years, who visited the neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital located in Seoul. The children had been born prematurely with VLBW or ELBW. Their IQ was tested using the performed Korean-Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence fourth edition. Results: A hierarchical regression analysis showed a significant interaction effect of birth weight and age on Full Scale IQ (FSIQ); the effect of age on FSIQ differed according to birth weight. For the group with VLBW, FSIQ was more likely to be higher with increasing age. Conversely, for the group with ELBW, FSIQ remained low regardless of the age level. In addition, birth weight and age had a significant interaction effect on the Visual Spatial Index. Birth weight had a significant main effect on Verbal Comprehension Index. Conclusion: This research suggested the possibility of predicting the cognitive developmental of premature children, by highlighting the fact that prematurely born children, with VLBW/ELBW, have different cognitive developmental trajectories.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2015

Purpose: We investigated the iron status of very low birth weight infants receiving multiple erythrocyte transfusions during hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: We enrolled 46 very low birth weight infants who were admitted to the Kyungpook National University Hospital between January 2012 and December 2013. Serum ferritin was measured on their first day of life and weekly thereafter. We collected individual data of the frequency and volume of erythrocyte transfusion and the amount of iron intake. Results: A total of 38 (82.6%) of very low birth weight infants received a mean volume of $99.3{\pm}93.5mL$ of erythrocyte transfusions in NICU. The minimum and maximum serum ferritin levels during hospitalization were $146.2{\pm}114.9ng/mL$ and $456.7{\pm}361.9ng/mL$, respectively. The total volume of erythrocyte transfusion was not correlated to maximum serum ferritin concentrations after controlling for the amount of iron intake (r=0.012, p=0.945). Non-transfused infants took significantly higher iron intake compared to infants receiving ${\geq}100mL/kg$ erythrocyte transfusion (p<0.001). Minimum and maximum serum ferritin levels of non-transfused infants were higher than those of infants receiving <100 mL/kg erythrocyte transfusions (p=0.026 and p=0.022, respectively). Infants with morbidity including bronchopulmonary dysplasia or retinopathy of prematurity received a significantly higher volume of erythrocyte transfusions compared to infants without morbidity (p<0.001). Conclusion: Very low birth weight infants undergoing multiply erythrocyte transfusions had excessive iron stores and non-transfused infants also might had a risk of iron overload during hospitalization in the NICU.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.58-65
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• 1996

This study examined characteristics among 131 infants who were born at three hospitals affiliated with Catholic University. Those infants were very low birth weight infants (VLBWI ). Data were gathered through review of medical records between 1990 to 1993. The results were as follows : 1. Regarding the birth weight, 72.6％ were between 1000 gm to 1500 gm and 27.4% were below 1000gm. Of the VLBWI, 27.5% had gestational age of 29-30 weeks and 22. lof had gestational age of 26 weeks and below. The birth weight of them was significantly correlated with their gestational age. 2. Most of VLBWI had been hospitalized for more than 30 days and particulaly those who were between 1100-1400gm had been hospitalized more than 60 days. And the number of clinical problem was the most influencing factor on their discharge. 3. Of the VLBWI, 28.2% were given gavage feeding. 4. Jaundice appeared predominantly on the 3rd day after birth ,with 64.1％ of incidence rate. Of those infants developed jaundice, 92.9% received phototherapy 5. The most common problem after birth was respiratory conditions. And oxygen therapy was administered for 93.9% of the VLBWI while they were in the hospital.