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A comparison of perinatal mortality in Korea on holidays and working days

J S Hong1, H C Kang, S-W Yi

  • 1Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

BJOG : an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
|September 19, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Infants born on holidays in Korea had a 24% higher perinatal mortality rate. This increased risk of infant death during holidays is linked to variations in perinatal care quality.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Perinatal Medicine

Background:

  • Holiday births in Korea show a higher perinatal mortality rate compared to workday births.
  • Understanding the reasons behind this disparity is crucial for improving infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the difference in perinatal mortality between infants born on holidays and workdays.
  • To identify the underlying causes of increased holiday perinatal mortality.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study utilizing 1999 Korean vital statistics and National Infant Mortality Survey data.
  • Analysis of 628,485 births, classifying mortality by day of the week.
  • Logistic regression used to estimate odds ratios for holiday mortality, adjusting for confounding factors like birthweight.

Main Results:

  • Perinatal deaths were 24% higher on holidays (PMR 16.4 vs. 12.8).
  • The adjusted odds ratio for perinatal death among holiday births was 1.2 (95% CI, 1.1-1.3).
  • Births on holidays were 33% lower than expected.

Conclusions:

  • Higher perinatal mortality during Korean holidays is associated with variations in perinatal care quality.
  • The findings suggest a need to address potential disparities in healthcare delivery during public holidays.
Abstract

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