Reproductive Medicine in South Korea

Reproductive medicine is a field of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and management of male and female reproductive issues. It encompasses the prevention and assessment, as well as the treatment and prognosis of a wide variety of reproductive conditions. The main goal of reproductive medicine is to improve or maintain the female and male reproductive systems. Reproductive medicine specialists particularly treat and advise on any issues impacting a person’s or a couple’s ability to conceive. They treat issues of puberty, sexual education, family planning, birth control, infertility, sexual dysfunction, and reproductive system disease, such as:

• Infectious diseases, such as reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• Cancer that affects the reproductive system, such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, penile cancer, and prostate cancer.
• Conditions that affect fertility, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, fibroids, hypothyroidism, cryptorchidism, vasectomy, and retrograde ejaculation.
• Congenital abnormalities, such as imperforate hymen and epispadias.
• Endocrine disorders, such as teratoma, hypogonadism, idiopathic hirsutism, androgen insensitivity syndrome, ovarian cysts, and hypopituitarism.

Tests and treatments that reproductive medicine may perform include:

• Full medical history assessment
• Physical examination
• Blood tests
• Imaging techniques, such as pelvic ultrasounds
• Investigations of semen samples
• Ovulation induction
• Assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), fertility medication, artificial insemination (AI), embryo transfer, and frozen embryo replacement (FER)
• Open surgery
• Laparoscopic surgery
• Prescribing medication, such as antibiotics for bacterial infections or highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for the HIV virus.

Reproductive medicine is a multidisciplinary branch of medicine that combines physiology, endocrinology, and anatomy, as well as some aspects of biochemistry and molecular biology. Reproductive medicine also overlaps with other branches of medicines, such as gynecology, urology, obstetrics, and psychiatry.

How Long Should I Stay in South Korea?

Your length of stay in South Korea depends on your specific condition and the type of test and/or treatment you underwent. In general, it is advisable that you stay in South Korea for at least 1-3 weeks, although you may be able to travel home within 1 to 2 days after some diagnostic tests. During your stay, you will attend follow-up appointments.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

Your specific condition, the type of test/treatment you underwent, the technique your doctor used, and your overall health determines the recovery time. For open surgery, it may take around 4 to 6 weeks until you are allowed to resume your normal activity and to go back to work. Laparoscopic surgery offers shorter recovery time, usually only 3 to 4 weeks until you can return back to your normal activity level. For non-surgical procedures, such as IVF, you should be able to go back to your normal routine immediately after the procedure.

What Aftercare is Required?

You will be given detailed aftercare instructions that you will need to follow. In most cases, you will attend regular checkups with your reproductive medicine specialist in South Korea or with your local doctor back at home. 

What's the Success Rate?

The advancement of reproductive medicine and a better understanding of the human reproductive system has lead to an increased safety and success rate of the reproductive system’s tests and treatments. The field has allowed the development of assisted reproductive technology (ART), resulting in advances in overcoming infertility. ART is also safer than surgical procedures, minimizing the risks that surgical procedures carry.

Are there Alternatives?

Depending on your specific case, you may be able to see a gynecologist, urologist, obstetrician, or even oncologist as the alternative to seeing a reproductive medicine specialist. It is best, however, to talk to your general physician first as they will be able to direct you to the right specialist. 

Reproductive Medicine in and around South Korea

About South Korea

South Korea’s population is 51 million and it's capital Seoul is a major world city. 50 percent of the country’s population lives within the Seoul Capital Area which includes Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi-do. The capital is situated in the north-west region of the country.

The Republic of Korea has immense potential for medical tourism with futuristic hospitals, sophisticated technologies, and advanced procedures. The government is taking all measures to make the country a top medical tourism destination. By 2022, it is looking to receive 998,000 medical tourists in the country.

Tourists from the USA, UAE, and Japan travel to Korea for affordable treatments. Some medical institutions in South Korea offer price packages, especially for plastic surgery, and help the medical tourist to save up to 40 percent on the treatment, even after adding travel and accommodation costs.

The Country has 27 accredited JCI-certified state-of-art hospitals. Severance Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, and JK Plastic Surgery Centre are the most renowned hospitals within South Korea for medical tourism. The Doctors are well-educated to international standards of certifications and training.

The country is popular for treatments and procedures in several medical specialties, with an excellent track record for success and survival rates. Cancer treatment, plastic surgery, cardiovascular procedures, orthopedics, and preventive health check-ups are the top five areas for medical tourism in Korea.

Popular Parts of South Korea

South Korea is much more than just Seoul as it is home to modern cities, relaxed and traditional folk villages, breath-taking landscapes, and beautiful beaches. The following are some interesting and noteworthy places to visit:

1. Seoul – The capital city is a mix of pop and party culture, modern architecture, scenic parks, and glittering promenades and it is also rich in history and culture. The National Museum, War Memorial, Changdeokgung Palace, and Bukchon Hanok Village are some of the key attractions in Seoul.
2. The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) – DMZ is one of the most important places in South Korea as you will get a better knowledge of the troubles between North and South. When you book a DMZ 3rd tunnel tour, make sure it includes the tram ride up and down the tunnel, or you will be in for a long walk. You can also get a glimpse of North Korea from the Observation Post in DMZ.
3. Busan - Is the second largest city of South Korea and is well known for hosting Asia’s biggest international film festival. It is also a unique blend of modern skyscrapers, majestic mountains, picturesque beaches, and magnificent Buddhist temples. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple and the Jagalchi fish market are some of the popular sites.
4. Jeju Island –Has beautiful white sandy beaches, volcanic craters, and lava caves, and the botanical gardens will take your breath away. Hyeopjae & Hamdeok beach, Cheonjiyeon Waterfalls, and Seongsan Sunrise Peak are some of the interesting places on this island.
5. Gyeongju –This coastal city has a large collection of cultural and historical sites dating back a thousand years. It gives you a peek into its cultural roots through the UNESCO World Heritage site, Bulguksa Temple, and the National Museum.

Seoraksan National Park, Incheon, and Pyeongchang County are a few other places to visit in South Korea.

Weather and Climate in South Korea

South Korea has a mild climate with four seasons.

• Summers are from June to August and are hot, humid, and rainy. There can be heavy rainfall in July and August.
• Winters are from late November to mid-March. During winter, it is freezing cold in the north and the interiors and mild along the southern coasts and snowfalls are rare.
• Spring is from mid-March to May. It is cold at the beginning of the season and gradually becomes milder. Rainfall becomes more frequent with the formation of low-pressure systems.
• Autumn is from September to late November and this is a pleasant season and during October the highest temperature is around 68 to 72°F. Rainfall is considerably less than in spring.

The average temperature in Seoul in January is around 73.4 to 81.5°F and in July its 71° to 75°F.

Getting Around in South Korea

Incheon International Airport at Seoul handles many daily flights from North America. Many of which are non-stop from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Korean Air, United, and Delta Airlines operate a lot of these flights. Seoul is also reachable from its other Asian neighbors, Europe, and the middle-east. Other international airports in South Korea are located in Busan, Cheongju, and Jeju.

Gimpy International Airport, also in Seoul, handles domestic flight operations. You can connect to the Seoul Subway System, and to Incheon Airport by the Arex Train System.

Train travel is the most convenient and economical way to get around in South Korea. You can buy a KORAIL rail pass when you arrive at the airport. South Korea’s high-speed bullet train, the KTX, connects Seoul to Busan within 3 hours and It also connects to the other major cities within South Korea.

The Seoul Bus Terminal and the Central City Terminal operate buses to all of the cities. Bus travel is inexpensive and efficient, and fairly empty traveling to the smaller cities. Renting a car is also an option, but expensive.

Tourist Visas in South Korea

South Korea has an agreement with 117 jurisdictions for a visa-waiver. Visitors from countries under the visa-waiver program, such as the USA, Japan, EU countries, and New Zealand can enter the country without a tourist visa. Tourists can stay for up to 90 days with a valid passport. Canadians can enter visa-free and stay up to 180 days.

Citizens of most Asian countries like India and China and Russia need a tourist visa to travel to South Korea.

Additional Information

1. Korean Republican Won (KRW) is the currency of Korea. One US dollar converts to 1149.00 KRW.
2. You can exchange most of the major currencies to KRW in banks and currency exchanges. US dollars and Euros are the easiest to convert.
3. You can withdraw money from the many ATMs. Or you may even use credit cards for payments in South Korea.
4. Korean and Korean Sign Language are the official languages of South Korea. Hangul is the formal script.
5. 56.9% of the people are non-religious. Among the religious population, the majority are Christians. Others follow Korean Buddhism.
6. The culture of South Korea is a blend of ancient Korean culture with ancient Chinese and Japanese cultures. Respect for elders is an important aspect of their culture.
7. New Year Day (falls in February as per lunar calendar), The Birthday of Buddha (early May), Independence Day (March 1), Memorial Day (June 6), Constitution Day (July 17) are a few important holidays in the Republic of Korea.