| Advanced Approach to Pregnancy and Childbirth: Moving from a Perspective of Population Control to One Focused on Women's Health |
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하정옥 |
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서울대학교 |
| 임신과 출산을 여성의 건강으로 조망하기 |
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하정옥 |
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서울대학교 |
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| Abstract |
Objectives
This paper examines the historical and political processes in which women's healthemerged as a framework of reproduction issues, and asserts the concept of women's reproductivehealth is a hard-won and valuable achievement. The author also explores the challenges and prospectsin Korean society when pregnancy and childbirth are viewed from the perspective of concernfor women's health.
Methods
The paper reviews the literature on reproduction, and documents published by internationalorganizations on reproductive health. Reproductive Health Indicators in Korea are comparedwith international indices.
Results
Women's reproductive health in Korea has been seriously neglected due to the emphasison economic efficiency as it is defined in neoliberal ideology, and the lack of governance of newtechnologies. Though the maternal mortality ratio is on the rise, and neonatal health indicatorshave deteriorated as well, policies on reproductive health in Korea are still dominated by the logicof population control.
Conclusions
There is an urgent need for Korea to take a more holistic approach to women's health;an approach encompassing physical, psychological, personal and social health issues, together. Thecurrent health status of Korean women should be identified as a first step, and the results takeninto account in making population policies. Plans and policies should reflect the needs of contemporaryKorean women, and feminist activists should actively engage in the process. |
| Key Words:
Reproductive health, population policy, women's health, 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development, the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, maternal and child health services |
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