[A summarized unofficial version of the press release]

Korea Achieved Significant Improvement in the Survival Rate of Preterm Infants Weighing Less Than 1.5kg at Birth

• The survival rate of preterm infants weighing less than 1.5kg at birth showed a significant upswing, soaring from 84.9% in 2014 to 89.9% in 2022, according to the VLBWI registry program supported by the National Institute of Health (NIH) of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

• There have been noteworthy reductions in severe preterm birth complications, such as intraventricular hemorrhage, sepsis, and necrotizing enterocolitis.

• The diagnosis of cerebral palsy and hospital readmissions have been remarkably reduced, based on the long-term follow-up for preterm babies aged 1.5 and 3 years.

Osong, 23^rd November 2023 –  On November 17, in observance of World Prematurity Day, the National Institute of Health (NIH) of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced a significant advancement in the survival rate of preterm babies weighing less than 1.5kg born in Korea and highlighted the decline in the prevalence of major preterm birth complications, based on the research of the Korean Neonatal Network (KNN), the Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infant (VLBWI) registry program.*

*The research aims to operate the VLBWI registry program to produce management indicators for VLBWIs and develop a quality improvement program.

Korea, already grappling with the world’s lowest birth rate, is experiencing a yearly decline in its birth rate. On the other hand, there is a consistent rise in preterm births. Particularly, VLBWIs* requiring intensive care constitute a substantial portion of infant mortality. Survivors may encounter potential lifelong health consequences, including severe complications and developmental delays. Strengthening care for VLBWIs is critical to improving survival and the quality of life of the survivors. 

*Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants (VLBWIs) refer to preterm babies weighing less than 1.5kg at birth.

Since the launch of the KNN in April 2013 in collaboration with the Korean Society of Neonatology, the NIH has implemented a VLBWI registry program with the active participation of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in 80 hospitals in Korea.

Approximately 80% of VLBWIs born in Korea, totaling around 2,000 babies annually, are registered in the KNN. The KNN has accumulated clinical data from 22,000 babies as of October of this year, conducting follow-ups at 18 months and three years to gain insights into health status at birth and the impact of treatment on growth and development.

The KNN quality improvement program for neonatal intensive care, initiated in 2021, has played a pivotal role in advancing care for preterm babies in Korea. This program focuses on enhancing treatment and care, reducing healthcare disparities by medical institutions, and introducing new treatments.

The survival rate of VLBWIs in Korea significantly improved, rising from 84.9% in 2014 to 89.9% in 2022, according to the KNN. 

From 2014 to 2022, there was a decrease in the prevalence of major preterm birth complications: severe intracerebral hemorrhage (≥Grade 3) declined from 11.3% to 6.0%, cystic periventricular leukomalacia from 8.3% to 6.8%, sepsis from 21.4% to 13.2%, and necrotizing enterocolitis (>Stage 2) from 6.2% to 5.0%.

Long-term follow-ups for babies born preterm in 2014 and 2019, aged 1.5 and 3 years, respectively, showed reductions in the diagnosis of cerebral palsy and hospital readmissions.

* Cerebral palsy diagnosis rate decreased from 6.2% to 4.5% at age 1.5 years and from 6.1% to 5.1% at age 3

** Hospital readmission rate decreased from 46.3% to 37.2% at age 1.5 years and from 28.0% to 21.8% at age 3.

Executive Director of the KNN Yun Sil Chang (Professor of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center) said “The ultimate goal of the KNN is to consistently produce the national statistics on high-risk preterm babies and foster the development and advancement of treatment through data-driven quality improvement.”

She added, “The KNN will contribute to developing neonatal care and treatment guidelines tailored to Korean preterm babies and enhancing the safety and quality of NICUs nationwide, in close collaboration with medical personnel working in NICUs.”

Deputy Minister of the NIH Hyun-Young Park stated, “The VLBWI registry program has yielded outstanding research outcomes, with approximately 100 articles published in medical journals to date. Furthermore, the registry serves as a foundation for national health policies associated to preterm infant management, including the expansion of health insurance coverage for preterm infants, the reimbursement of the overcharged co-payment for infant and toddler development assessment (Bayley), and the provision of a coordinator support program for following up preterm infants after discharge.”

“I expect that consistent research efforts will ensure the healthy survival of affected babies, improve the quality of lives of their families, and alleviate the social and economic burden of prematurity,” She added.

* For detailed information, please refer to the press release written in the Korean language in the file attached below.