PIP: This paper reviews 30 articles published between 1955 and 1986 on the incidence, mortality, and causes of death for premature and low birth weight infants in Korea. All the papers were based on the infants' hospital records. Although the incidence of low birth weight and prematurity fluctuated, it is estimated that the incidence of low birth weight was 8% recently. The incidences of prematurity (8.4%) and low birth weight (10.9%) were highest from 1965-1970. Male infants had lower rates than female infants. Mothers between 26 and 30 years old had fewer premature and low birth weight infants. Rates were highest for 1st and 3rd born infants. Although causes are not certain, it is suspected that prematurity is caused by premature rupture of the membranes, preeclampsia, toxemia, and abnormal placenta and that low birth weight is caused by toxemia, twin pregnancies, premature rupture of the membranes, and abnormal placenta. Neonatal mortality rates were fairly changeable. Male rates were higher than female ones. The higher the birth weight, the lower the mortality rate. The most common clinical cause of death in low birth weight infants was the respiratory distress syndrome, followed by pneumonia and other infections, birth injuries and intracranial hemorrhage, and congenital anomaly in that order. When causes of death were established by autopsy, the most important causes were atelectasis, hyaline membrane disease, pneumonia and other infections, and birth injuries and intracranial hemorrhage in that order.