• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.127-144
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• 2013

The low birth rate in Korea reflects the declining desire to have children in this country due to rising emphasis on personal lifestyle. Since this phenomenon has accelerated, boosting the birth rate has become one of the most important policy tasks in Korea. The purpose of this research was to perform a case study based on women's lived experience to understand how the childbirth encouragement policy promoted by the government in order to boost the birth rate has affected the perception of childbirth among women. The findings are as follows : First, the effect of the childbirth encouragement policy on women's perceptions has been fairly low. Second, the social environment for encouraging childbirth is inadequate. Third, the economic burdens associated with childbirth and child care are still significant. Finally, the impact of the childbirth encouragement policy on changes in the perceptions of childbirth has been minimal. Based on these findings, various motivations for changes in the perceptions of childbirth among women were identified, leading to the following conclusion: Establishing a long-term childbirth encouragement policy is an effective way to boost the childbirth rate.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.127-143
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• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study is to develop a machine learning model to predict the subsequent childbirth intention of married women with one child, aiming to address the low birth rate problem in Korea, This will be achieved by utilizing data from the 2021 Family and Childbirth Survey conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. Methods: A prediction model was developed using the Random Forest algorithm to predict the subsequent childbirth intention of married women with one child. This algorithm was chosen for its advantages in prediction and generalization, and its performance was evaluated. Results: The significance of variables influencing the Random Forest prediction model was confirmed. With the exception of the presence or absence of leave before and after childbirth, most variables contributed to predicting the intention to have subsequent childbirth. Notably, variables such as the mother's age, number of children planned at the time of marriage, average monthly household income, spouse's share of childcare burden, mother's weekday housework hours, and presence or absence of spouse's maternity leave emerged as relatively important predictors of subsequent childbirth intention.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.30-43
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• 2001

This was a pre-experimental study to confirm the breast-feeding ability and effect of follow up care on the breast-feeding rate and the breast-feeding method by the mother-infant breast-feeding assessment tool for the mothers who got the breast-feeding education. The subjects were 46 mothers who experienced normal delivery of infants at a college hospital in K-city, Kyungsangbuk-do, from July 1 to October 21, 2000. The instrument for data obtainment were The Mother-Infant Breast-Feeding Assessment Tool of Johnson et al. (1999), and The Breast- Feeding Method Measurement Tool of Jeong, Geum-hee(1997). This instrument was reliable, showing Cronbach $\alpha$.751. This study classified them into 3 groups: at high risk for breast-feeding failure, at risk for breast-feeding problems, and at low risk for breast-feeding failure by the mother-infant breast-feeding assessment tool on the day of discharge from the hospital after delivering individual breast-feeding education to the subjects. This study investigated the breast-feeding rate and the breast-feeding method through mail questionnaire at the four week after childbirth, and through the phone counselling and the home visit for follow up care at the first week and the second week after childbirth. The sixth week after childbirth, this study investigated the breast-feeding rate by phone. The data analyzed the hypothesizes by $x^2$-test, paired t-test, ANOVA, Wilcoxon signed rank test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and trend analysis using SPSS/PC+ WIN 10.0 program. The results were as follows : 1) Hypothesis 1-1, "there won't be any difference the breast-feeding rate of a group at risk for breast-feeding failure by the time elapsed" was supported through constant the breast-feeding rate, because changes in the breast-feeding rate by the time elapsed after childbirth wasn't statistically significant(t= -1.501, p=.270). Hypothesis 1-2, "there won't be any difference the breast-feeding rate of group at low risk for breast-feeding failure by the time elapsed" was supported through constant the breast-feeding rate, because changes in the breast-feeding rate by the time elapsed after childbirth wasn't statistically significant(t=-1.732, p=.225). 2) Hypothesis 2-1, "there won't be any difference between the breast-feeding method of group at risk for breast-feeding failure for four weeks after childbirth and just after childbirth” was rejected, because the mean point of post test appeared to be higher than that of pre test(t=-7.267, p=.000). Hypothesis 2-2, "there won't be any difference between the breast-feeding method of the group at low risk for breast-feeding failure for four weeks after childbirth and just after childbirth" was rejected, because the mean point of post test appeared to be higher than that of pre test(t=-2.501, p=.012). 3)The 3rd hypothesis, "there won't be any difference between breast-feeding method of groups at risk for breast-feeding problems and at low risk for breast-feeding failure at the 4th week after childbirth and just after childbirth" didn't show any difference between the breast-feeding method of groups at risk for breast-feeding problems and at low risk for breast-feeding failure in the advance test(t=-1.521, p=.130) but there was difference between them in post test (t=-2.012, p=.044). As a result, the 3rd hypothesis was supported by pre test, but it was rejected by post test. In conclusion, this study confirmed breast- feeding education and follow up care just after childbirth were effective for the breast-feeding rate and method. Accordingly, it is proposed that successful nursing intervention of breast-feeding to be necessary by continuously providing follow up care through the mother-infant breast-feeding assessment tool as well as to execute individual breast-feeding education to mothers just after childbirth.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.65
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• pp.55-80
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• 2021

This study attempted to find a Christian religious alternative to the seriousness of the problem of low birth rate which has become a national and social problem, and its alternative. Korea is a low birth rate country. The phenomenon of low birth rate and childbirth avoidance is a reality that not only are national problems but also Korean churches are experiencing serious problems, and will continue to affect them. It will affect the church in four major ways. First, is a sharp decline in the number of members. Second, is the decline of Sunday schools. Third, various family problems and generational conflicts will arise. And it brings problems such as a crisis of faith among members. Young people living today have an unconventional attitude toward marriage, childbirth, and parenting. But for Christians, childbirth is a way of living in that God blessed us to "be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth." In other words, childbirth must be recognized as a blessing from God, not a human decision. Therefore, we must know how precious the fetus is in front of God and that it is a precious life. Thus, we should be interested in how to nurture the life God has given. To do so the church's role is education is to shape the value of life from a biblical perspective. Therefore the church needs to see how the Christian faith of young and married couples who are about to marry, give birth, and raise children, affects the childbirth and rearing of children. And it is necessary to study what the role of church and Christian education is to solve the problem of low birth rate and to suggest alternatives. For this study, we will first identify the factors of low birth rate. Then we will confirm childbirth and the blessing of God through the Bible. Finally, the role of the church in low birth rate and educational alternatives will be presented.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.47 no.10
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• pp.123-136
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine whether childbirth encouragement policy is actually helping those childbirth, and also discuss the possible directions of this policy to unfold in the future, should take. For this, We have surveyed 412 married and 437 unmarried men and women in order to investigate the individual values that influence childbirth, From these respondents and we interviewed and surveyed recipients of grants (244people), administrative officers in charge (41people), and experts (34people) to investigate their social view on the Korean government's impact. The results of this study are as follows: Firstly, most of the people (unmarried 70.3%, married 69.1%) surveyed said that important life objectives for them. Secondly, most of the people(male 44.4%, female 73.8%) surveyed said that once married shied away from having babies, (a) due to the finance and childcare burden is heavy of running a family while both parents are fulltime employed (b) because it is difficult to get pregnant due to health problems, and (c) foremost because having several children exacerbates their financial burden. Thirdly, grant recipients(75.4%), administrative officers in charge(65.9%), and experts(53.0%) all said that childbirth encouragement policy currently being implemented has little impact on their childbirth. Finally, it was established that the incentives to encourage childbirth is best suited for individuals that favor having many children.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.39-55
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• 2022

In this study, we investigate the interrelationship between housing tenure and childbirth by exploiting the correlation probability effect method that accounts for household heterogeneity. Using the newlywed household panel from 2011 to 2022, we find that home ownership has a positive impact on childbirth in newlyweds. Specifically, newlywed households with housing tenure show a 6.2%p higher birth rate and a 5.7%p higher second childbirth than newlywed households living in rented houses. For the case of first childbirth, we employ the probability effect probit model since the endogeneity was not detected between housing tenure and birth rate. We document the differential effects of housing tenure on childbirth in that the first childbirth rate is higher for households without housing tenures. The negative effects on first childbirth could be attributed to the economic burden due to initial housing ownership, while housing tenure could eventually provide housing stability, leading to positive effects on more than one childbirth. Finally, we identify that households with childbirth over the last year show a 4.2%p and 3.9%p lower probabilities of housing tenure in the total sample and second childbirth sample, respectively. This suggests that the increased living cost due to childbirth could delay home ownership.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.117-124
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• 2007

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate how willingness to have an additional childbirth was related to mother's general characteristics and various reasons for avoiding an additional childbirth. Methods: By using organized questionnaire, we had face-to-face interviews with 722 mothers who had 12 to 36 months child in a urban-rural area of Chungcheongnam-do from 14 February to 19 February in 2005. Questionnaires included general characteristics composed of age, monthly income, number of children, major carers and mother's job status, and 6 reasons for avoiding an additional childbirth. We performed chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Of 722 mothers, 66.5% had no willingness to have an additional childbirth. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, old age of mother(95% CI of OR: 1.084-1.190), two or more children(95% CI of OR: 6.97-15.602) and weak norm about need for a child(95% CI of OR: 1.633-29.352) were independent related factors with willingness to have an additional childbirth. Conclusions: In our study, 2/3 women who already had children were appeared to have no willingness to have additional childbirth. Policies about family planning and controlling birth rate should be focused on eliminating barrier to additional childbirths.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.63-73
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• 2007

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to obtain basal information to establish a proper birth-encouraging policy in the future through the survey of the attitude towards childbirth and its related factors among female students in junior, senior high school, and university. Methods: A survey was performed for 2 weeks in June, 2006, for a total of 688 female students which included 185 ones in a girls' junior high school and 242 ones in a girls' senior high school in Sacheon, and 261 ones in two universities in Jinju. The selfadministered questionnaires developed by the authors included the socio-demographic characteristics, the attitude towards childbirth, the preference of a son for their future child, the belief on relative importance of family or work after marriage, the seriousness perception of low birth rate in Korea, frequencies of education in school about low birth rate. The attitude was measured by an answer to the question of 'To what degree do you think you are going to have a child(or children)?' Results: The proportion of positive attitude towards their future childbirth was 76.2% in junior high school, 63.9% in high school, and 82.8% in university students (p<0.01). In the logistic regression analysis, the significant factors related with positive attitude towards future childbirth were school grade, preference of a son for their future children, and belief on relative importance of family or work after marriage. Conclusions: It suggests that the related factors with positive attitude towards future childbirth need to be considered to make a proper birth policy.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.47-56
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• 2016

Objective: This study aimed to explore marital satisfaction changes of married couples from childbirth to 5 years postpartum using the data from the Panel Study of Korean Children 2008-2012. Methods: A total of 2,072 coupes were followed longitudinally during the first 5 years after childbirth. Their repeatedly measured marital satisfaction were analyzed with growth modeling analyses. Results: Husbands and wives had different marital satisfaction trajectories regarding the rate of change and initial marital satisfaction scores. Further, the facets of postpartum marital satisfactions change varied depending on the couples' first, second, and third (or more) birth(s). Conclusion: In general, Korean married couples' marital satisfaction has a decreasing tendency after childbirth. Fathers' marital satisfaction is generally higher but more rapidly decreases compared to mothers' marital satisfaction. Also, couples after first child birth experience a faster decline of marital satisfaction compared to couples after second or third (or more) birth(s).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.5031-5041
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• 2014

Purpose: The influence of the hoping number of children, the policy of childbirth, and the causes of reduced childbirth to the perception of childbirth, which will be the subject of future childbirth, was surveyed by health-line college students. Results: In terms of the attitude to the perception of childbirth, the quality of personal life, childcare, insufficient support of childbirth, and breeding of descendants had the largest influence on childbirth, and in terms of the attitude to the hoping number of children, economic reasons, childcare expenses, and education expenses had the largest influences. Second, when the causes of social demographic properties influencing childbirth was analyzed, sex showed significance to all the factors on the hoping number of children in terms of growing areas, to all the factors excluding childbirth policy in terms of the economic level, and hoping number of children in terms of the parents' jobs. Third, when the correlation was analyzed, a correlation was found in every area excluding the hoping number of children in terms of the causes of childbirth reduction and economy, childbirth policy in terms of the personal causes, personal factor in terms of the causes of childbirth policy, and family factor in terms of the causes of childbirth reduction and economy. Fourth, when the influences of the causes of hoping number of children, childbirth policy, and childbirth reduction to perception of childbirth were analyzed, the case hoping no or one child, the case hoping 2 or more children, childbirth policy, and childbirth reduction had a positive significant influence on the perception of childbirth. Conclusion: The childbirth rate will be improved if the following occur: childbirth policy and laws are established at the level of government, education programs are developed and operated for the formation of the value of perception of childbirth, and a new support policy is established after analyzing the current childbirth support policies. To change the perception of childbirth in college students who are future subjects of childbirth, successive studies will be needed to verify the effect of aforesaid measures.