Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital

On October 21, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital held a Homecoming Day to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Cervical Incompetence Clinic.

Cervical Incompetence is a disease that the cervix, which should be closed during the second quarter of pregnancy (15-28 weeks) opens without any pain or uterine contractions. Medical care should be taken because miscarriage or premature birth may occur when the patient is not treated at the right time.

Professor Keun-Young Lee of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kangnam Hospital successfully performed emergency cervical suture and saved all of the amniotic membranes that escaped from the uterus. It was the first procedure done in South Korea, 1998. Since then, Kangnam Hospital was the only one that has operated the Cervical Incompetence Clinic at a university hospital level. Kangnam Hospital’s Cervical Incompetence Clinic helps high-risk pregnant patients maintain their pregnancies safely and protect their precious babies.

Around 80 people including mothers and children who overcame difficult times while being treated at the clinic and who grew up healthy attended the event. Mothers and their families have traveled a long way from all over the country for this Homecoming Day. They celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Cervical Incompetence Clinic with gratitude.

Among all the participants, two mothers gave a speech expressing their gratitude. They shared their experiences of overcoming cervical incompetence and succeeding in giving birth. In particular, one of the mothers donated 50 million Korean Won in hopes of further developing treatment for high-risk maternal diseases. She was a patient who received cervical suture surgery from Professor Keun-Young Lee last year and delivered her child safely this year.

Professor Keun-Young Lee said, "I am very happy to see my fully recovered mothers and children." He also added, "The Cervical Incompetence Clinic at Kangnam Hospital will continue to do research on high-risk maternal diseases and continue on developing accuracy of treatment with her family’s donation."

By Hyuk Joo Lee, Int’l Cooperation Team, HUMC (hyukjoolee@hallym.or.kr)