보건복지부 영문홈페이지

The Government Supports the Healthy Growth of Preterm Infants

- Announcement of the 'Tailored Support Measures for Preterm Infants'

in the Areas of Birth, Treatment, Development, and Care (December 3) -

On Friday, December 3 at 2:00 p.m., the government held a meeting on emergency measures for population crisis and announced the "Tailored Support Measures for Preterm Infants." These measures were developed following the birth of the first naturally conceived quintuplets in Korea earlier in September to provide comprehensive support for the healthy growth of preterm infants, after discussions with obstetrics and neonatology experts, as well as consultations with parents and relevant government ministries.

Due to environmental changes such as rising age of marriage and childbirth, and the increase in the proportion of multiple births, the birth rate of preterm infants born before 37 weeks of pregnancy and low birth weight infants weighing less than 2.5 kg has been on the rise. Preterm infants often require extended stays in incubators immediately after birth, and even after discharge, they need frequent medical care including treatments for complications and developmental checks. Parents of preterm infants face the challenge of balancing work, treatment, and child-rearing. The government has developed the first specialized measures for preterm infants by establishing a multifaceted support system spanning childbirth, treatment, development and childcare fields. The key details of these measures are as follows:

First, the government will provide tailored support according to the preterm birth and developmental conditions of preterm infants. Preterm infants often spend extended periods in incubators, which can result in missing out on services or having reduced eligibility for support based on the actual birth date. To address this, the government will apply the benefit period for early life health management services and reduced health insurance out-of-pocket payments based on the expected date of birth rather than the actual birth date, ensuring additional assistance aligned with the extent of early delivery.

Next, the government will enhance the maternal and neonatal intensive care system. To enable mothers and newborns to receive treatment together in close proximity, an integrated treatment infrastructure for mothers and newborns, connecting central(tertiary), regional(secondary), and local(primary) facilities. Local neonatal intensive care centers will be restructured into local mother and child medical centers with strengthened obstetrics capabilities, and two new central Maternal and Neonatal Care Centers will be established to provide critical care for complex cases, such as mothers with multiple severe complications and extremely low birth weight preterm infants. A referral and transfer support system will be established to facilitate smooth collaboration between maternal and neonatal medical institutions and share information including on bed availability. A dedicated transport team will also be operational at the National Medical Center to ensure a 24-hour response to emergency deliveries.

Furthermore, compensation for healthcare professionals treating mothers and newborns, as well as financial support for medical expenses related to preterm infants, will be significantly increased. Starting in November this year, advanced general hospitals participating in their restructuring projects will be reimbursed with policy-driven fees for operation of neonatal intensive care units and high-risk maternal care units. Additionally, by the first half of next year, add-on(up to 1,000%) items for highly complex medical procedures for children, including high-risk preterm infants weighing under 1.5 kg will be expanded. The support limits for medical expenses incurred outside the scope of health insurance coverage will also be increase by up to double, from the current 3 to 10 million KRW based on weight, to 4 to 20 million KRW.

The government will also strengthen the developmental support system for preterm infants during the early childhood stage. The pilot program for continuous care of preterm infants, in which specialized coordinator nurses closely monitor their developmental and health condition, will be expanded from the current six regions to nationwide coverage next year. The number of pilot institutions for pediatric rehabilitation medical care will be expanded from 39 to 80 by 2027, and the eligible medical conditions covered by the pilot program, the duration of support, and the fee-for-service criteria will be improved to support tailored treatment for preterm infants. Additionally, support will be provided to research for improving the quality of care of preterm infants, and long-term health statistics encompassing developmental and treatment information beyond infancy will also be produced to establish a foundation for tailored support.

The government will also expand parenting and caregiving support for parents of preterm infants who face the challenge of balancing work, treatment, and childcare. For families with preterm infants, maternal and newborn health management services will be provided regardless of income criteria(up to 150% of the median income standard). Additionally, considering the need for more meticulous health management, the service period will be extended by up to 20 days for preterm infants and multiple births (twins or more). Tailored information will be provided through a guidebook that specifies age-specific tests and checkups necessary for preterm infants, along with growth and development guidelines and policy support details.

The government plans to ensure the seamless implementation of the tailored support measures for preterm infants including by promptly revising relevant regulations and guidelines, thereby delivering tangible outcomes that can be perceived on-site. ///