| Changing Social Background Pattern of Children in Adoption Institutions(the 4th Report) |
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Hye Jeong Kim, Jin A Son, Jae Youn Kim, Don Hee Ahn |
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Department of Pediatrics, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea |
| 입양 아동의 사회적 배경 및 입양 동기의 시대적 흐름에 따른 변천(제4보) |
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김혜정, 손진아, 김재윤, 안돈희 |
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국립의료원 소아과 |
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| Abstract |
Purpose
: A study was undertaken to assess the social background of abandoning children at adoption institutions. The results were compared to those of three previous reports from the institution.
Methods
: A total of 536 children who had been admitted to the institution during the period of 1993 to 1996 were subjected to the study. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively.
Results
: The sex ratio of male to female was 1 : 0.9, which was opposite compared to previous studies. Mean birth weight was 2.76±0.58kg. The proportion of prematurity was 27.2% and their mean gestational age was 34.0±2.25 weeks. The academic background of the mother was mainly high school, comprising 58.4%. The highest rate of maternal age(75.9%) was between 16 to 25 years of age. Maternal age below 15 years was 2.8%, which showed increased in tendency compared to previous studies. Classifying the mother’s occupation, they were unemployed(19.4%), office workers(16.8%), store clerks(15.9%), students(13.6%), factory workers(12.3%) and waitresses (5.6%) in this order of frequency. The order of birth showed that the first baby was 89.4%. The reasons for putting their baby up for adoption were they were unmarried(83.2%), poor(8.6%), extramarital birth(3.2%), divorce(2.9%) and death of parents(0.4%) in this order of frequency, showing a significant increased in the rate of unmarried mothers. Only 38.4% of mothers had taken antenatal care. Most of the children (90.8%) were adopted by parents in foreign countries.
Conclusion
: The main reason for adoption was the mothers were unmarried and the maternal age tended to be younger. The rate of foreign adoption was still high. |
| Key Words:
Institutionalized children, Social background, Adoption |
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