title: Neonatal and Infant Mortality in Korea, Japan, and the U.S.: Effect of Birth Weight Distribution and Birth Weight-Specific Mortality Rates.
abstract: Difference in crude neonatal and infant mortality rates (NMR and IMR) among different countries is due to the differences in its two determinants: birth weight distribution (BWD) and birth weight-specific mortality rates (BW-SMRs). We aimed to determine impact of BWD and BW-SMRs on differences in crude NMR and IMR among Korea, Japan, and the U.S. Our study used the live birth data of the period 2009 through 2010. Crude NMR/IMR are the lowest in Japan, 1.1/2.1, compared to 1.8/3.2, in Korea, and 4.1/6.2, in the U.S., respectively. Japanese had the best BW-SMRs of all birth weight groups compared to the Koreans and the U.S. The U.S. BWD was unfavorable with very low birth weight (< 1,500 g) rate of 1.4%, compared to 0.6% in Korea, and 0.8% in Japan. If Koreans and Japanese had the same BWD as in the U.S., their crude NMR/IMR would be 3.9/6.1 for the Koreans and 1.5/2.5 for the Japanese. If both Koreans and Japanese had the same BW-SMRs as in the U.S., the crude NMR/IMR would be 2.0/3.8 for the Koreans and 2.7/5.0 for the Japanese. In conclusion, compared to the U.S., lower crude NMR or IMR in Japan is mainly attributable to its better BW-SMRs. Koreans had lower crude NMR and IMR, primarily from its favorable BWD. Comparing crude NMR or IMR among different countries should include further exploration of its two determinants, BW-SMRs reflecting medical care, and BWD reflecting socio-demographic conditions.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors: Do Hyun
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5003-8475
authors: do H
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Pediatrics, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul, Korea. g-daughter@hanmail.net.
authors: Jihyun
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4512-2728
authors: J
authors: Jeon
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, USA.
authors: Chang Gi
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3366-4279
authors: CG
authors: Park
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, USA.
authors: Sudhir
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1496-5108
authors: S
authors: Sriram
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, USA.
authors: Kwang Sun
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2932-0836
authors: KS
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000208:ethnology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014481:United States
keywords: Birth Weight; Infant Mortality; Japan; Korea; the United States