Reproductive health is understood as a state of physical, psychological, and social well-being in matters concerning reproduction, including pregnancy, childbirth, and contraception. Its significance extends throughout the course of a woman’s life, from childhood and adolescence through old age. In addition, reproductive health outcomes in no small measure bear on society as a whole.
The Fourth Basic Plan on Low Fertility and an Aging Society accordingly incorporates, as a right to which all are equally entitled, the guarantee of sexual and reproductive rights across the life course. It further identifies, among its principal policy objectives, the promotion of menstrual health, support for healthy pregnancy, and assistance with childbirth.
The theme of the July 2026 issue of Health and Welfare Forum is “Women’s Health as Viewed through the 2025 Korean Survey on Sexual and Reproductive Health across the Life Course.” Drawing on data from a nationwide survey conducted in 2025, the contributed articles examine the state of Korean women’s health with respect to menstruation, pregnancy, contraception, and menopause; identify the principal health concerns arising at different stages of the life course; and consider the policy implications that follow from these findings. We hope that the findings presented in this issue will help stimulate interest in reproductive health issues and further the development of related health promotion policies.
Reproductive health is understood as a state of physical, psychological, and social well-being in matters concerning reproduction, including pregnancy, childbirth, and contraception. Its significance extends throughout the course of a woman’s life, from childhood and adolescence through old age. In addition, reproductive health outcomes in no small measure bear on society as a whole.
The Fourth Basic Plan on Low Fertility and an Aging Society accordingly incorporates, as a right to which all are equally entitled, the guarantee of sexual and reproductive rights across the life course. It further identifies, among its principal policy objectives, the promotion of menstrual health, support for healthy pregnancy, and assistance with childbirth.
The theme of the July 2026 issue of Health and Welfare Forum is “Women’s Health as Viewed through the 2025 Korean Survey on Sexual and Reproductive Health across the Life Course.” Drawing on data from a nationwide survey conducted in 2025, the contributed articles examine the state of Korean women’s health with respect to menstruation, pregnancy, contraception, and menopause; identify the principal health concerns arising at different stages of the life course; and consider the policy implications that follow from these findings. We hope that the findings presented in this issue will help stimulate interest in reproductive health issues and further the development of related health promotion policies.
Women’s reproductive health is characterized by distinct transitions across the life course, most notably menarche in childhood or adolescence and menopause in middle age. This analysis draws on data from the 2025 National Survey on the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Korean Women across the Life Course. Among adolescents aged 13-18, the average age at menarche was 12.6 years, which is earlier than that reported by previous generations. Among women aged 40-64 who had experienced menopause, the average age at the last menstrual period was 50.6 years. The prevalence of reproductive morbidity was 31.2 percent among women in early adulthood and increased to 35.5 percent among middle-aged women.
More than 40 percent of women in early adulthood and middle age reported having used OB-GYN services in the past year, whereas the corresponding figures were only 14.3 percent for adolescents and 14.4 percent for women aged 65 and older. Some adolescents reported that they had not sought OB-GYN care because they felt discomfort about visiting such clinics or because they felt uncomfortable undergoing gynecological examinations. Since reproductive health presents different challenges at different stages of life, it is important that these issues are given sufficient attention and proactively addressed through appropriate use of medical services and life-course health management.
Menstruation and menopause are natural physiological processes that occupy a central place in women’s reproductive health. A woman typically experiences monthly menstrual cycles from menarche until menopause. Various symptoms and pain associated with menstruation and menopause exert a nontrivial impact on both the physical and psychological well-being of women, and, by extension, upon their overall quality of life. It is thus necessary to promote menstrual health by ensuring access to safe menstrual products, along with the active and systematic management of menstrual disorders such as dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome. In addition, attention should be given to identifying serious and prevalent health problems among menopausal women and developing appropriate public health policy approaches to address them.
Childbearing and childbirth have no negligible effects on women’s health and well-being, both physically and psychologically. Moreover, having children at a time of one’s choosing has important implications for reproductive health. Using data from the 2025 Korean Survey on Sexual and Reproductive Health across the Life Cycle, this study examines Korean women’s experiences of pregnancy and childbirth, infertility experiences, and perceptions of health-related behaviors during pregnancy.
Among women who had ever been diagnosed with infertility, 17.1 percent of young adults and 11.6 percent of middle-aged women reported receiving fertility treatments. Both groups cited financial burden as a principal difficulty associated with receiving such treatments. Furthermore, perceptions of smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy varied across age groups, health behaviors, and health literacy levels. Notably, fewer than half of respondents in every age group were aware of fetal alcohol syndrome, indicating a general need for improvement in public understanding of the risks posed by harmful substances during pregnancy. It follows that future inquiry should not only continue to investigate infertility treatment and lived reproductive experiences, but also critically assess whether healthcare services related to pregnancy and childbirth are adequately provided.
Using data from the 2025 National Survey on the Sexual and Reproductive Health of Korean Women across the Life Course, this article provides a multifaceted analysis of contraceptive practices among Korean women. Compared with 2022, rates of consistent contraceptive use and the use of modern contraceptive methods increased, as did women’s autonomy in contraceptive decision-making. However, a gap remains between the frequency of contraceptive use and the adoption of effective contraceptive methods. The contraceptive methods used varied by life stage, with younger adults preferring modern methods and middle-aged adults relying on traditional methods or semi-permanent contraceptive procedures. The reasons for nonuse and the methods employed suggest a strong tendency to perceive contraception primarily as a means of preventing pregnancy. This study reveals the need for policies that promote a broader understanding of contraception as an integral component of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health, encompassing pregnancy prevention, prevention of sexually transmitted infections, and promotion of sexual health.
Korea’s funerary sector faces various challenges arising from rapid social change. The funeral landscape has changed markedly. Cremation has become increasingly prevalent, while cremation facilities remain in short supply. The cost of funerals is becoming an ever-greater burden. Demand for environmentally sustainable forms of burial is rising. However, the existing framework of funerary policies and regulations has not kept pace with these developments. This article examines these issues comprehensively and explores directions for sustainable funerary policy. The recommendations include reconfiguring funerary policy around the now predominant practice of cremation, expanding cremation facilities in keeping with demand, and promoting natural burial. The article also proposes institutional reforms to improve the efficiency of funerary administration, including a reorganization of the respective responsibilities of the central and local governments and policies for the modernization and expansion of funerary facilities.
