• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.219-263
• /
• 2011

"Wrongful conception" is a medical malpractice claim in which the plaintiff is the parent of a normal, healthy infant whose conception was unplanned and unwanted. Medical malpractice in wrongful conception can be the result of a failure to provide informed consent to a patient, failure to properly perform a surgery, or a physician's negligent handling of a patient's problems. In the concrete, wrongful conception cases fall into two categories; those involving pre-conception negligence, such as a failed contraceptive, sterilization or failing of the controlling of embryo-number on the IVF, and those involving post-conception negligence, such as a failure to diagnose a pregnancy or to perform an abortion procedure. In addition, Medical malpractice can be the result of a failure to provide informed consent to a patient. When bad results occur by medical malpractice or failure to provide informed consent to a patient, the range of recovery of damages is decided by a traditional civil liability law. However the calculation of damages for wrongful conception is not easy because the high value of life is included in that case. So many courts opinions in foreign country and Seoul High Court decision in 1996 allow damages for the pregnancy, birthing process and sterilization costs, but refuses to allow damages for child rearing expenses. As to the range of recovery of damages for wrongful conception, one approach says that to allow damages in a suit such as this would mean that the physician would have to pay for the fun, joy and affection which plaintiff will have in the rearing and educating of the plaintiff's baby. To allow such damages would be against the dignity of the baby based on article 10 of the Constitution. However another approach says that damages are recoverable for all expenses related to child birth as well as for child rearing costs. Because the damages that the parents should bear a burden to the tort damage done is not a baby itself but child rearing costs. In other words, although the baby is healthy or not, economic burden of the parents can not be disregard. And denial of compensation for costs of child rearing may invalidate the role of liability law, grant the physician with a exemption certificate of liability. As a result, the medical field of procreation can be easily isolated from a liability of reparation. Therefore, on the liability law like the other medical malpractice action, parents who became pregnant or gave a birth by physician, wrongfully performed sterilization operation, etc. should be compensated for all damages relevant to unplanned and unwanted conception or birth as well as costs of child rearing.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.57 no.3
• /
• pp.117-124
• /
• 2014

Purpose: Administration of antiretroviral drugs to mothers and infants significantly decreases mother-to-child human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission; cesarean sections and discouraging breastfeeding further decreases this risk. The present study confirmed the HIV status of babies born to mothers infected with HIV and describes the characteristics of babies and mothers who received preventive treatment. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed medical records of nine infants and their mothers positive for HIV who gave birth at Korea University Ansan Hospital, between June 1, 2003, and May 31, 2013. Maternal parameters, including HIV diagnosis date, CD4+ count, and HIV ribonucleic acid (RNA) copy number, were analyzed. Infant growth and development, HIV RNA copy number, and HIV antigen/antibody test results were analyzed. Results: Eight HIV-positive mothers delivered nine babies; all the infants received antiretroviral therapy. Three (37.5%) and five mothers (62.5%) were administered single- and multidrug therapy, respectively. Intravenous zidovudine was administered to four infants (50%) at birth. Breastfeeding was discouraged for all the infants. All the infants were negative for HIV, although two were lost to follow-up. Third trimester maternal viral copy numbers were less than 1,000 copies/mL with a median CD4+ count of $325{\mu}L$ ($92-729{\mu}L$). Among the nine infants, two were preterm (22.2%) and three had low birth weights (33.3%). Conclusion: This study concludes that prophylactic antiretroviral therapy, scheduled cesarean section, and prohibition of breastfeeding considerably decrease mother-to-child HIV transmission. Because the number of infants infected via mother-to-child transmission may be increasing, studies in additional regions using more variables are necessary.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.512-520
• /
• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The 6-23 months for infants is the longest period in the "first 1,000 days" of life. This period is very important for child development, so complementary feeding (CF) practices should be optimized to maximize children's potential for growth and development. The aim of this study was to analyze the CF practices and nutritional status of children aged 6-23 months. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, 392 children aged 6-23 months were selected using stratified random sampling. Socio-demographic data were collected through interviews. CF practices, collected by interviews and repeated 24-hour food recall method, were the timely introduction of CF, minimum meal frequency, dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diet, consumption food rich in proteins and vitamin A. Nutritional status was assessed using the indicators of underweight, wasting and stunting. To analyze the association between socio-demographic indicators and CF with nutritional status, the chi-square test with a confidence interval of 95% was used. RESULTS: Results showed that 39% were exclusively breastfed, only 61% received prolonged breastfeeding and 50% received timely introduction of CF. Minimum meal frequency was met by 74% of subjects, but dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diet were only realized in 50% and 40% of the children, respectively. The prevalence of underweight, wasting, and stunting were 26%, 23%, and 28%, respectively. Age of the child, birth order, birth weight, parents' education level, family size and incidence of fever and diarrhea during the previous two weeks were associated with underweight, while child's birth order, fathers' education level, mother's age, family size, completion of the age-appropriate vaccination and fish consumption frequency were associated with wasting. Age of the child, incidence of fever and acute respiratory infection, and fortified food consumption were associated with stunting. CONCLUSIONS: Suboptimal CF practices and high prevalence of underweight, wasting and stunting were found among children aged 6-23 months old in Aceh. These results highlight the need to improve CF and nutritional status.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.129-138
• /
• 1986

The purpose of this study is to investigate the child's preference attitude for one parent and to analyze the difference in the four variables(sex, age, birth order and maternal employment) and the factors influencing it. To meet this purpose, three kinds of questionnaire for child (school-age/late adolescence) and his parents were used. The data were obtained through 136 pairs(parents and child) and analyzed by chisquare test and Guttman's lambda. The results of this test are summerized as follows. 1. The majority of children prefer mother to father and especially adolescent daughters prefer mother more than sons. 2. The majority of parents answered that their child would prefer mother to father and the correlation coefficient between mother's answer and fathers is .53. But child's actual preference is no related with parent's awareness of being preferred. 3. The majority of parent's answer were consistent with child's preference but the correlation coefficients are very low from the analysis of factors influencing the child's preference. Therefore parents and child must have more communication, concern and expression of love for mutual consistence.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.639-653
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting the decisions regarding second births. Especially, analysis focused on the connections between desire for a second birth and the family factors such as family values and marital relations because they have been rarely known until now. Data was from 1,156 married women that had only one child and had been part of the national data collected by KIHASA in 2003. Major findings can be summarized as follows. First, it was found that value-related factors affect the likelihood of a second birth. The degree of parental responsibility is negatively related with the desire for a second birth. However, the perceived ideal number of children is positively related to it. Second, it was found that the quality of family relations influences the decision for the second birth. Particularly, marital satisfaction is likely to be the most important factor tending to mediate the effects of socio-demographic factors and value-related factors on the plan for a second birth. These results suggest that the effects of social norms on the number of children and timing of childbearing which exist in the family are becoming weaker. Nevertheless, the traditional value of children such as a preference for a son can still be found.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.247-258
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study investigated the parenting experiences of mothers of young children born moderate-to-late preterm (MLPT) in South Korea. Methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with 10 mothers of MLPT children from infancy to preschool age. The interviews were video-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Four categories resulted from the analysis of parenting experiences of mothers with young MLPT children, as follows: "becoming a mother of an early-born child", "difficulties as the primary caregiver for a high-risk child", "helpful social support, but still a lack of professional support for parenting a high-risk child", and "mothers and children growing together". Conclusion: Mothers of young MLPT children experienced difficulties due to concerns about their child's health, growth and development, and insufficient child-rearing support. Therefore, social support systems should be strengthened and more aggressive nursing strategies should be adopted for mothers of young MLPT children.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.43 no.5
• /
• pp.369-376
• /
• 2010

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of current body weight and body mass index (BMI) at age three and birth weight in developing chronic respiratory illness in childhood and identify possible interaction underlying its mechanism. Methods: The study was carried out with 422 children who were enrolled in a hospital-based birth cohort. Birth related anthropometric data were collected at birth. At age 3 years, the presence of respiratory symptoms was evaluated by using the Korean version of core questionnaire for wheezing and asthma from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Physical examination was carried out to measure the child's weight and height. Results: Children in the lowest birth weight tertile (aOR = 3.97, 95% CI = 0.94-16.68) or highest BMI tertile (aOR = 3.68, 95% CI = 1.24-10.95) at three years of age were at an increased risk of chronic respiratory illness. Children who were initially in the lowest birth weight tertile but now belong in the highest weight tertile had higher risk of chronic respiratory illness compared to those who had remained in the middle tertile (OR=16.35, 95% CI=1.66-160.57). Conclusions: Children with lower birth weight or higher BMI were at an increased risk of chronic respiratory illness. In addition, children who were initially in the lowest birth weight tertile but are now in the highest weight tertile had higher risk of chronic respiratory illness compared to those who remained in the middle tertile.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.85-98
• /
• 2013

Subject : The application of eight extra Meridians theory to birth physiology of Korean Medicine. Objective : This study suggests physiological theories in child birth in Korean Medicine. Method : First, the application of eight extra Meridians and extraordinary organs theories to physiology, pathology, pregnancy, postnatal period of women were examined based on major publications and theories of some historical characters. This work provided clues for application of eight extra Meridians theory to birth physiology. Second, the progressing birth physiology of modern medicine based on the importance of the brain function was examined, with which the application of eight extra Meridians and extraordinary organs theories to the birth process showed close relationship. Conclusion : The following conclusions could be drawn. In traditional publications of Korean Medicine, the contents explaining birth physiology with eight extra Meridians theory were scarce, mainly due to the doctor's perception of birth as part of the natural female physiology along with menstruation and pregnancy. However, the contents explaining menstruation, pregnancy, postnatal physiology and pathology through eight extra Meridians theory could be found in classical texts such as Neijing, Jebyeong-wonhuron, Imjeunginameuian. Therefore, it is reasonable to apply the eight extra Meridians theory to the birth process as well. Modern medicine's understanding that pituitary and hypothalamus hormones are in play on womb in the birth process, such as Oxytocin, is in continuous progress. Moreover, the environmental condition that has been traditionally known ideal to the birth process in both the East and West-dark, warm, quiet and secluded-is being confirmed in modern research. The application of eight extra Meridians theory to birth physiology can help to explain these modern information, and thus make them more acceptable.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.44-52
• /
• 1986

Maternal and child health(MCH) status is considered as an important indicator of the level of health and civilization of a community and a country. MCH services for the rural population in the remote ar deserves priority by the government, since more than half(52.9%) of the delivery was occured at home and almost half (45.5%) of the delivery was assited by family members or neighbors. The purpose of the study was to analyse the health fare behavior related to pregnancy and delivery, which can be contributed maternal health care policy mating for the rural people. Specifically, it was intended to analyze the variables which affect the health care behavior in selecting birth places and birth attendants. This study utilized the data which had been already collected for an experimental study on primary health program model in Korean rural communities, funded by the USAID. 184 sample households with women who had delivered a baby during March 1982 to February 1983 were selected. Discriminant Analysis was employed for statistical analysis by utilizing SPSS computer package program. Birth places and birth attendants were considered as dependent variables. Among 12 independent variables in 5 groups considered, 7 independent variables were found statistically significant to affect the selection of birth place. Significant variables by the order of importance are mother's age, order of baby, number of prenatal care, accessibility of emergency medical care, coverage of medical insurance, mother's membership in community organization and husband's educational level. The degree of correct classification of the grouped cases by employing a discriminant . analysis was significantly improved to 78.2％ in comparison to Cmax（56%) and Cpro(51%). Policy implications for each significant variable were discussed to improve the maternal and child health. in Korean ruralarea.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.44-52
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compared the growth and development of premature and full-term infants during the 2 years after birth. Method: The participants were 102 infants, 51 each for premature infants, and for healthy full-term infants. Participants in the premature group accounted for 17.5% of all premature infants who were registered at the public health center in G city. Developmental status was evaluated using the Korean Denver II. Results: The catch-up growth of the premature was 100% in weight and in height. Suspicious developmental delay according to the Korean Denver II was 3.9% in normal infants and 31.2% in premature infants. Factors related to the suspicious developmental delay in premature infants were their age and health state at birth. The rate of suspicious developmental delay was higher in infants over 6 months and infants unhealthy at birth. Conclusion: A premature follow-up program, which includes nutrition education to achieve catch-up growth and to prevention obesity, along with continuous developmental screening test for infants and children born prematurely is recommended. Provision for home visits and telephone counseling for premature infants and their families who do not to use the public health center should also be included.