• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-25
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• 2011

There are two main purposes in this study. First, we compare the effects of wives' characteristics with the effects of the husbands' characteristics on the induced abortion. Second, we analyze whether the determinants of the induced abortion have changed according to parity and conception period. The main findings are follows. First, both wives' and husbands' socioeconomic characters have insignificant effects on the induced abortion at parity 0, in the 1997 and 2000 Korean Fertility Survey data. Second, during the periods of the lowest-low fertility, after 2000 in Korea, wives' employments have positive effects at parity 0 and 1, while husbands' educational levels have negative effects at parity 1 on the induced abortion. The implications are as follows. First, having children had been the universal social phenomenon before 2000 in Korea. however, after 2000, reproductions have become the women's choice, lather than the duty of married women. Women must weight the balance between the benefits and the costs of children so that women's fertility behaviors become a rational choice. Women's employment is the most important factor in these rational calculations. Second, both Western individualism and the traditional Korean familism have significant effects on the fertility behavior and the induced abortions in Korea. This rejects the diffusion theory, which tells that the traditional familism must be replaced by the Western individualism in order to decline the fertility rates in developing countries.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.708-711
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of abortion and suicide for 115 paramedic students in 2016. The questionnaire consisted of perception of abortion(8items), the perception of suicide(58items), related 6items of the abortion and related 2 items of the suicide. The collected data were analyzed through t-test, Chi-squared test and ANOVA, using SPSS 21.0. As a result, the total perception score against abortion was $20.57{\pm}4.12$ and the total score of suicide perception was $-14.16{\pm}15.76$. The most answer was that pregnant women were abortion decision makers in both male and female students, and abortions were the highest when they might be unwanted pregnancies. The group who had thought about suicide was higher of perceptions of suicide than the group who did not. The female students who had suicide attempt or suicide experience of close acquaintances showed higher suicide perception score than those who did not. Therefore, A bio-ethics education curriculum should be prepared to establish ethics that respects life for future paramedic students who must make decisions at the boundary between death and life. It is necessary to raise the level of positive suicide perceptions through continuing counseling and education focusing on students who have experienced suicide by family members or acquaintances.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.393-398
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• 1997

Cytogenetic analysis was performed in 1321 couples and 141 women with history of abnormal reproductive outcome during 1988-1996. The use of high resolution banding technique and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in the chromosome analysis has made the precise evaluation of chromosome aberrations. The prevalence of balanced chromosomal translocation carriers were 3.74% (104/2783 patients). 70 cases (2.52%) were reciprocal translocation carriers and 34 (1.22%) had Robertsonian translocations. Chromosome aberrations were more frequent in women (73 cases) than in men (31 cases). No phenotypical abnormalities were found in all carriers, but they experienced abnormal reproductive outcomes such as recurrent spontaneous abortions, anomalous offsprings or infertility problem. Prenatal diagnosis was carried out on 36 subsequent pregnancies in balanced translocation carriers. The fetal karyotypes showed that 12 cases (33%) were normal, 22 (61%) were balanced translocations, and two (6%) were unbalanced translocations. It is concluded that the prevalence of balanced chromosomal translocations in patients with abnormal reproductive outcome is higher than that of the normal population. Most of the fetal samples showed normal karyotypes or balanced translocations. Although the incidence of chromosomal imbalance in the fetuses was relatively low in prenatal diagnosis, individuals with balanced translocations are predisposed to abnormal offspring with partial trisomy or monosomy. Therefore we recommend that genetic counselling and cytogenetic prenatal diagnosis for translocation carriers have to be offered to prevent recurrent chromosomal abnormal babies.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.96-108
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to provide the basic data for developing a program for effective education about GDM(Gestational Diabetes Mellitus) by investigating the knowledge and learning needs of pregnant women about GDM. The subjects were 192 pregnant women who visited obstetrical clinics for prenatal care. The data were collected from October, 1998 to December, 1999, using a 50-item questionnaire(knowledge ; 30 items, learning needs ; 20 items), and analyzed by SAS program for t-test, ANOVA, Ducan test, and Pearson correlation coefficients. The results were as follows. 1. The knowledge level about GDM 1) Pregnant women had very little knowledge(total means ; 15.1 of 30.0) about GDM. 2) Pregnant women more than 30 years old, pregnant women from Seoul, and pregnant women who had more than a bachelor's degree were more knowledgeable about GDM. 3) Pregnant women who didn't experience spontaneous abortions, pregnant women who had DM(Diabetes Mellitus) patients in their families, and pregnant women who received education about DM were more knowledgeable about GDM. 4) Pregnant women knew very well that GDM women have more maternal and fetal complications than normal pregnant women. Although they were knowledgeable about the importance and ways of controlling blood glucose level, they knew very little about the causes, symptoms, or management of hypoglycemia. 2. The learning needs about GDM 1) Pregnant women had high learning needs (total means ; 85.0 of 100.0) about GDM. 2) The learning needs of pregnant women who had more than a bachelor's degree and pregnant women who earned less than two million won in monthly income were higher than that of other groups. 3) Pregnant women had high learning needs about the health of their baby and themselves, but their learning needs related to weight control and exercise-things that play important roles in controlling blood glucose level-were relatively low. As a result of the above findings, a systemic and individualized program is required for pregnant women and GDM patients, In addition to that, further studies that investigate the effects of education and retention of learning obtained by education are required in the near future.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.337-364
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• 2018

Abortion is prohibited in the Philippines by the law of Christianity. Korean fathers wanted abortions when Filipino mothers were pregnant with their babies (Kopino). However, Filipino mothers had to give birth to the Kopino babies. Therefore, Kopino mothers bring up their babies alone. This study tried to measure and compare what Korean and Filipino evaluate towards Kopino mothers explicitly or implicitly. In addition, this study examined how their attitudes towards Kopino mothers change when the Christianity was primed. As a result of this study, Filipino participants, both explicitly and implicitly, liked more about Kopino mothers than Korean participants. Also, Korean participants showed a little positive explicit attitude and implicit attitude towards Kopino mothers. However, Korean males answered that they liked Kopino mothers at the explicit scale, but they had a negative attitude against Kopino mothers at the implicit level. After activating the Christianity by priming, Filipino participants showed a significant increase of positive attitude towards Kopino mothers at the implicit level. On the other hand, Korean participants remained unaffected. Hence, the priming effect of Christianity varied by country. This study confirmed that Korean females didn't have prejudice against Kopino mothers like Filipino but Korean males had prejudice against them.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.640-646
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• 2010

Neosporosis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by Neospora caninum, an intracellular protozoan parasite. It causes economic losses due to reproductive failure. The potential relationship between pregnancy outcomes and levels of IFN${\gamma}$, hormones, and antibodies in naturally N. caninum-infected cows was examined in the blood samples collected every 2 or 4 weeks in 26 pregnant cows from 4 different farms. The mean S/P value of seropositive nonaborting animals (n = 14) reached peak levels 15 weeks prior to parturition, and declined thereafter to parturition. The S/P value 13 weeks prior to abortion in seropositive aborting cows (n=3) remained at high levels, and abortions occurred at 20 (142 days), 26 (185 days), and 28 weeks (199 days) after artificial insemination. IFN${\gamma}$ levels in the seropositive non-aborting group varied by individuals and gestational periods; IFN${\gamma}$ levels stayed at elevated levels or increased abruptly close to abortion in seropositive aborting cows. IFN${\gamma}$ level patterns in the seronegative group (n = 9) were similar to the seropositive non-aborting group, although IFN${\gamma}$ amounts were lower than the seropositive group. The mean progesterone levels in the seropositive non-aborting and seronegative groups decreased markedly 7 weeks prior to parturition. The mean progesterone levels 5 and 7 weeks prior to abortion were lower than the other groups 5 and 7 weeks prior to parturition. The mean 17${\beta}$-estradiol levels in the seropositive aborting cows increased close to abortion; the produced amounts were lower than those of seropositive non-aborting and seronegative groups close to parturition. These results suggested that lower levels of progesterone and ${\beta}$-estradiol in Neospora-infected cows may lead to increases in IFN${\gamma}$ production and in turn may result in abortion.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.1073-1078
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• 2006

Purpose : This study was performed to assess how a fetal diagnosis of congenital heart disease affects parents, as regards pregnancy management and care of infants after birth. Methods : Database search to find out abnormal fetal echocardiography performed at Seoul National University Children's Hospital from July 1988 to June 2003 revealed 370 examinations. After excluding both arrhythmias without structural cardiac disease and multiple pregnancies, 299 pregnancies remained and this data formed the basis of this analysis. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records with special attention to pregnancy outcomes and also tried to find out factors influencing parental decisions on whether to continue or terminate pregnancy. Results : In this study, the mean gestation age at diagnosis was $28{\pm}6.0weeks$. The mean age of mothers was $30{\pm}3.9$ years old. Younger gestational ages at diagnosis(P=0.000), more severe grades of fetal heart disease(P=0.002) and younger mothers(P=0.014) correlated with terminations of pregnanies. But the grades of fetal status, the grades of associated anomaly, whether in-vitro-fertilization was carried out or not and numbers of previous children were not significant. Conclusion : This study found that the earlier gestational ages at diagnosis, younger maternal age and higher grades of fetal heart disease tended to lead parent to select abortions. Fetal echocardiographies were performed too late. Moreover Koreans have a biased view that malformation is a something incurable and a tragedy not only to oneself, but also to a family. So parents select terminations of pregnancy, even in curable cases. This is very unethical.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.381-387
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• 2006

Purpose : Neonatal lupus is characterized by congenital complete heart block(CCHB), cutaneous rash, and laboratory abnormalities in infants born to mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). This study aims to examine the incidence of CCHB and clinical outcome in neonates born to mothers with SLE. Methods : The study group consisted of 49 neonates, born from 57 pregnancies of 55 women with SLE, diagnosed at Hanyang University Hospital for the period between January 1997 and January 2005. Clinical and laboratory data were retrospectively identified from medical record. Results : There were 5(8.8 percent) spontaneous abortions and one(1.8 percent) still births among 57 pregnancies of 55 mothers. Of 49 live births, 15(26.3 percent) were premature and eight(12.3 percent) were small for their gestational age. There was one(1.8 percent) CCHB suspected during pregnancy on fetal echocardiograpy in a fetus of mother with systemic lupus erythematosus and the fetus was not born by artificial abortion because of mother. There was no CCHB among EKG findings of 49 newborns. Laboratory testing showed hematologic abnormalities among 25.6 percent(10/39) of the babies. 5.1 percent(2/39) and 7.7 percent(3/39) of them were diagnosed as neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia was seen respectively. Anti-SSA(Ro) and antiphospholipid antibodies were predictive factors for prematurity(P=0.003, P=0.049). Anticardiolipin antibodies were predictive factors for ventilatory care(P=0.018). Conclusion : The incidence of CCHB among neonates born to mothers with SLE, which was measured in this study, was lower than that in earlier studies. A high incidence of hematologic abnormalities was found in our study. It is suggested that careful examination should be made of skin for the diagnosis of neonatal lupus.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 1990

1. Background Women's health and their involvement in health care are essential to health for everyone. If they are ignorant, malnourished or over-worked, the health &-their families as well as their own health will suffer. Women's health depends on broad considerations beyond medicine. Among other things, it depends upon their work in farming. their subordination to their families, their accepted roles, and poor hygiene with poorly equipped housing and environmental sanitation. 2. Objectives and Contents a. The health status of rural women : physical and mental complaints, experience of pesticides intoxication, Farmer's syndrome, experiences of reproductive health problems. b. participation in and attitudes towards housework and farming c. accessibility of medical care d. status of maternal health : fertility, family planning practice. induced abortion, and maternal care 3. Research method A nationwide field survey, based on stratified random sampling, was conducted during July, 1986. Revised Cornell Medical index(68 out of 195 items). Kawagai's Farmers Syndrome Scale, and self-developed structured questionnaires were used to rural farming wives(n=2.028). aged between 26-55. 4. Characteristics of the respondents mean age : 40.2 marital status : 90.8% married mean no. of household : 4.9 average years of education : 4.7 yrs. average income of household : \235,000 average years of residence in rural area : 36.4 yrs average Working hours(household and farming) : 11 hrs. 23 min 5. Health Status of rural women a. The average number of physical and mental symptoms were 12.4, 4.7, and the rate of complaints were 22.1%, 38.8% each. revealing complaints of mental symptomes higher than physical ones. b. 65.4% of rural women complained of more than 4 symptoms out of 9, indicating farmer's syndrome. 11.9 % experienced pesticide overdue syndrome c. 57.6% of respondents experienced women-specific health problems. d. Age and education of respondents were the variables which affect on the level of their health 6. Utilization of medical services a. The number of symptoms and complaints of respondents were dependent on the distance to where the health-care service is given b. Drug store was the most commonly utilized due to low price and the distance to reach. while nurse practitioners were well utilized when there were nurse practitioner's office in their villages. c. Rural women were internalized their subordination to husbands and children, revealing they are positive(93%) in health-care demand for-them but negative(30%) for themselves d. 33.0% of respondents were habitual drug users, 4.5% were smokers and 32.3% were alcohol drinkers. and 86.3% experienced induced-abortion. But most of them(77.6%) knew that those had negative effects on health. 7. Maternal Health Care a. Practice rate of contraception was 48.1% : female users were 90.9% in permanent and 89.6% in temporary contraception b. Induced abortions were taken mostly at hospital(86.3%), while health centers(4.7%), midwiferies(4.3%). and others(4.5%) including drug stores were listed a few. The repeated numbers of induced abortion seemed affected on the increasing numbers of symptoms and complaints. c. The first pre-natal check-up during first trimester was 41.8%, safe delivery rate was 15.6%, post-natal check-up during two months after delivery. Rural women had no enough rest after delivery revealing average days of rest from home work and farming 8.3 and 17.2. d. 86.6% practised breast feeding, showing younger and more educated mothers depending on artificial milk 8. Recommendations a. To lessen the multiple role over burden housing and sanitary conditions should be improved, and are needed farming machiner es for women and training on the use of them b. Health education should begin at primary school including health behavior and living environment. c. Women should be encouraged to become policy-makers as well as administrators in the field of women specific health affairs. d. Women's health indicators should be developed and women's health surveillance system too.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.548-554
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• 1999

Background : Asthma is the most common respiratory crisis encountered in clinical practice, occurring in up to 4% of all pregnancies. Pregnancy often appears to alter the course of asthma. But the mechanisms responsible for variable changes in the asthma course during pregnancy remain unknown. Poor control and exacerbations of asthma during pregnancy may result in serious maternal and fetal complications. To investigate the course of asthma during pregnancy in korean women, we did a retrograde study of 27 pregnant women who had been admitted to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened. Method: Twenty seven pregnant women who had been visited to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened were enrolled in our retrospective study. We reviewed medical recordings and interviewed patients with asthma. Results: Twenty seven pregnant women with asthma were evaluated, and 25 patients were enrolled to our study. Two patients experienced abortions at 6 weeks and 25 weeks gestation, respectively. The period of asthma worsened was commonly during weeks 20 to 28 of gestation. And all patients wosened were improved during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy. Twenty(80%) of 25 women whose asthma worsened during pregnancy reverted toward their prepregnancy status after delivery(p<0.002). The causes of asthma worsened during pregnancy are reduction or even complete cessaton of medication due to fears about its safety(40%), worsening after upper respiratory infection (28%), and unknown(32%). There were no adverse perinatal outcomes in 25 pregnant asthma subjects. Conclusions: A major problem of therapy for asthma during pregnancy is reduction or even complete cessation of medication due to fears of fetal effects. Therefore, maternal education and optimal clinical and pharmacologic management is necessary to mitigate maternal and fetal complications.