By Choi Sung-jin
Amid the declining birthrate of Korea over the past decade, income levels of families have exerted significant influence on childbirth, a report shows.
According to the analysis of big data on childbirth conducted by the National Health Insurance Service, the number of births in Korea fell from 431,000 in 2006 to 428,000 in 2015, down 3,000, or 0.8 percent.
This was mainly because the number of women between the ages of 24 to 38, who are fertile and have health insurance coverage, plunged 15 percent, from 6.25 million to 5.31 million during the period, the report said, adding that they account for more than 90 percent of women giving births.
The official number of births accounts for only those babies born in domestic hospitals, not those born at home or in foreign hospitals, or registered belatedly.
One of the most noticeable trends concerning childbirth over the past decade was its relationship with income levels, the report said.
For instance, the number of babies born by mothers in the fifth income quintile, or the top-20 percent of families on the income ladder, rose from 52,828 in 2006 to 69,544 last year. The number of babies by mothers in the fourth income quintile (between 61 percent and 80 percent on the income ladder) also increased from 102,878 to 136,781 over the cited period.
On the other hand, birth by mothers in the first income quintile, or those families in the bottom-20 percent, dropped from 57,250 in 2006 to 38,170 last year, and for families in the second quintile (between bottom 21 to 40 percent of income) births fell even more steeply, from 76,698 to 52,444.
All these figures indicate that the virtual abandonment of childbirth by families in the lower-income brackets has led to the continuous drop in the birthrate.
The proportion of childbirth by households in the top-40 percent stood at 39.2 percent of the total in 2006 but jumped to 51 percent last year. The comparable share by families in the bottom-40 percent dropped from 33 percent to 22.4 percent during the period.
Given that there are a relatively small number of women of childbearing age among higher-income families, the polarization of childbirth by income levels becomes more obvious, experts said.
"Amid the slumping economy and accelerating income inequity after the two financial crises, people in the lower levels of the social and economic ladder seem to have reacted most sensitively," said Professor Lee Sung-yong of Kangnam University.
The average age of mothers rose to 32.2 years last year, nearly two years older than the 30.3 years in 2006. One out of every four mothers who gave birth in 2015 was 35 or older, accounting for 27.6 percent of the total number of births, more than twice as many as the 13.7 percent a decade ago. The share of mothers aged 40 or older giving birth also increased from 1.2 percent to 3.0 percent.
In 2006, 67.3 percent of pregnant women maintained their jobs until their babies were born but the comparable rate rose to 73.9 percent in 2014, and the share of women who kept their jobs one year after giving birth also climbed from 62.9 percent to 69.7 percent, the report said.
"The government's policy to help keep a balance between work and family seems to have exerted a positive influence," it said.
Despite the changes in attitudes about women's social participation, people's dissatisfaction with the government's policy to raise the birthrate is still high, another report said.
According to the analysis by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the negative opinion of the government's birthrate policy has risen since 2012, especially in such areas as reducing childrearing burdens, working hours, baby breaks, daycare facilities, children's protection and support for juveniles.
"In order to make an environment for young people to marry and have babies, the government should provide a larger number of stable and secure jobs and see that women's careers are not interrupted by giving birth and rearing children," said Song Tae-min, author of the report.
Song called for policymakers to overhaul the existing policies and rearrange their priorities as well as workout a far larger number of custom-made packages to suit the needs of diverse groups of prospective couples and parents.
Amid the declining birthrate of Korea over the past decade, income levels of families have exerted significant influence on childbirth, a report shows.
According to the analysis of big data on childbirth conducted by the National Health Insurance Service, the number of births in Korea fell from 431,000 in 2006 to 428,000 in 2015, down 3,000, or 0.8 percent.
This was mainly because the number of women between the ages of 24 to 38, who are fertile and have health insurance coverage, plunged 15 percent, from 6.25 million to 5.31 million during the period, the report said, adding that they account for more than 90 percent of women giving births.
The official number of births accounts for only those babies born in domestic hospitals, not those born at home or in foreign hospitals, or registered belatedly.
One of the most noticeable trends concerning childbirth over the past decade was its relationship with income levels, the report said.
For instance, the number of babies born by mothers in the fifth income quintile, or the top-20 percent of families on the income ladder, rose from 52,828 in 2006 to 69,544 last year. The number of babies by mothers in the fourth income quintile (between 61 percent and 80 percent on the income ladder) also increased from 102,878 to 136,781 over the cited period.
On the other hand, birth by mothers in the first income quintile, or those families in the bottom-20 percent, dropped from 57,250 in 2006 to 38,170 last year, and for families in the second quintile (between bottom 21 to 40 percent of income) births fell even more steeply, from 76,698 to 52,444.
All these figures indicate that the virtual abandonment of childbirth by families in the lower-income brackets has led to the continuous drop in the birthrate.
The proportion of childbirth by households in the top-40 percent stood at 39.2 percent of the total in 2006 but jumped to 51 percent last year. The comparable share by families in the bottom-40 percent dropped from 33 percent to 22.4 percent during the period.
Given that there are a relatively small number of women of childbearing age among higher-income families, the polarization of childbirth by income levels becomes more obvious, experts said.
"Amid the slumping economy and accelerating income inequity after the two financial crises, people in the lower levels of the social and economic ladder seem to have reacted most sensitively," said Professor Lee Sung-yong of Kangnam University.
The average age of mothers rose to 32.2 years last year, nearly two years older than the 30.3 years in 2006. One out of every four mothers who gave birth in 2015 was 35 or older, accounting for 27.6 percent of the total number of births, more than twice as many as the 13.7 percent a decade ago. The share of mothers aged 40 or older giving birth also increased from 1.2 percent to 3.0 percent.
In 2006, 67.3 percent of pregnant women maintained their jobs until their babies were born but the comparable rate rose to 73.9 percent in 2014, and the share of women who kept their jobs one year after giving birth also climbed from 62.9 percent to 69.7 percent, the report said.
"The government's policy to help keep a balance between work and family seems to have exerted a positive influence," it said.
Despite the changes in attitudes about women's social participation, people's dissatisfaction with the government's policy to raise the birthrate is still high, another report said.
According to the analysis by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the negative opinion of the government's birthrate policy has risen since 2012, especially in such areas as reducing childrearing burdens, working hours, baby breaks, daycare facilities, children's protection and support for juveniles.
"In order to make an environment for young people to marry and have babies, the government should provide a larger number of stable and secure jobs and see that women's careers are not interrupted by giving birth and rearing children," said Song Tae-min, author of the report.
Song called for policymakers to overhaul the existing policies and rearrange their priorities as well as workout a far larger number of custom-made packages to suit the needs of diverse groups of prospective couples and parents.
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