Korean Job Discussion Forums

[keane]

U.S. has second worst newborn death rate in modern world, report says

[Junkyardninja]

- I believe that this disturbingly high infant mortality rate is somewhat deceptive. I've been repeatedly told by friends in healthcare that the low ranking of the U.S in this area is because of extreme efforts made to save terribly pre-mature infants, along with those suffering from nearly-always-fatal congenital conditions. Equivalent cases are often listed as stillbirths or miscarriages in Europe and Japan and are not figured in their infant mortality ratings since medical intervention does not take place. Once it has taken place the often inevitable death is considered equally in the I.M ratings with that of an otherwise healthy infant.

The U.S healthcare system is in need of reform, but it seems hardly fair to bash it for attempting the frequently impossible task of saving new lives.

[keane]

[Hater Depot]

Here it is.

http://www.slate.com/id/2161899/

[stevemcgarrett]

Junkyardninja wrote:

[keane]

[Big_Bird]

If I had a choice, I'd give birth in the West, rather than Korea. I've experienced both, and had 2 very different experiences. In Korea the doctors resent informed patients who ask questions and don't accept the doctor 'is God.' In the West you are consulted and informed and treated as an equal all the way. Also, in Korea health is run as a business. It's much more cost effective to spend one hour performing a c-section and being paid 3 times the price for it, than to allow a woman to go through with a normal birth in which the hospital will only take a third of the money and the doctor may have to be around for hours and hours. So Korea has a very high c-section rate. More than 40% I believe. However, America also has a high rate compared to many other Western countries. Possibly because health is in the hands of private business there. But I'd still be more inclined to trust the American system than the Korean one in that respect. Doctors there are still more accountable to the patient.

Also, Korean doctors are quick to interfere in the process. They try to bully you into having procedures you don't need. The Korean doctors were annoyed that I wouldn't just submit to the anaesthetic delivered into the spine. There are risks involved that they don't even bother to discuss with you. In the West I was treated as an intelligent being whose body was my own, and the doctors very carefully explained all the risks and made it clear that I was the one to make the choices. While I was in the process of birthing, the Korean doctor decided I was taking too long (I'd only had a few pushes, and it being my first time for Pete's sake) and the doctor tried to make me undergo an episiotomy. That wouldn't have been considered in the hospital where my sister had her baby, until she'd been pushing for a couple of hours. I had read up on all the different procedures and I also instinctively knew that I didn't need it at that point. Even though I'd never given birth before, I could feel that everything was right and I felt very confident that I could have the baby without being chopped up in the process. I refused point blank, and the doctor was angry and shocked. Basically, she just wanted to chop me up because it would make it quicker and more convenient for her, and I'd spend the next few months painfully healing. F*** that! I was so annoyed I gave a loud yell and a really big push and out popped baby. I was right and she was wrong!

So if your wife is a 'difficult woman' then she may come to blows with the Korean doctors. However, if she is Korean then due to her conditioning she may be able to meekly accept their ways it may not be a problem for her.

Frankly, I'd opt for the West. HOWEVER, if it was inconvenient to go to the West just for the birth, I wouldn't worry too much about having it in Korea. I think that Korea is still a fairly safe place to give birth. And it's certainly a lot lighter on the wallet.

[keane]

Excellent post. I'm well aware of all the issues you have raised. My real interest is in the area of, say, skill. I have no problem standing up for myself and my family. We will have all the why's and wherefore's settled before baby ever gets moving down the canal.

Thanks again for the great post.

[Big_Bird]

No problem. I've just edited that post to make it a bit clearer.

Good luck to you. To some extent it's chance. If you have some very good Korean doctors you should be OK. There are some very competent Korean doctors. However, I think there is still more chance you will end up with less competent doctors in Korea. One reason Korean doctors are so keen on some of these interventions is that they haven't practised the skills necessary to do without them. A friend of mine was pregnant at the same time as me. 8 months in, her doctor told her she would need a c-section. He said it was because she was overweight. In fact, she wasn't particularly big, and overweight women give birth naturally all the time. She's very assertive and she knew it was a load of crap. After much pressing, he admitted to my friend that he had never delivered a baby naturally before - he gave ALL his patients c-sections.

[stevemcgarrett]

keane/EFLT wrote:

[Gopher]

You create a thread that relies on Michael Moore's bitterly antiAmerican imagery. Then you assert this...

[bucheon bum]

that is what this thread made me do. Good times.

keane, you are becoming more of a wack job by the day. And you know what? It's making you entertaining instead of a bore. Thank you.

[The_Conservative]

[keane]

[keane]