UPDATE: This Survey is now closed.
Want to support improvements in information related to the maternal health of international residents living in South Korea? Take the SOS Public Health Maternal Health Survey. This blog will tell you how.
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What is the Maternal Health Survey?
South of Seoul previously introduced the new Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Initiative which lay the foundation for launching the Maternal Health Survey. Such an initiative is led by LSHTM Alumni, Denise Feurer, MSc Public Health, with support of the South of Seoul Public Health Team, Lisa Peck, MPH, CPH & Lanae Rivers-Woods, M.I.T.
SOS Public Health program aims to support the health of the multi-national community in South Korea. The MCH Initiative looks to supports such an aim by providing parents the tools to advocate for themselves regarding pregnancy and maternal healthcare issues. In order to understand how to provide such support, the MCH initiative begins with foundational research into the experiences of international parents in South Korea.
Responses to the SOS Public Health Maternal Health Survey will contribute to our research to assess the experiences and challenges of access to maternal health information in regard to pregnancy and childbirth in South Korea. With the results, South of Seoul Public Health can compile information to help the international community better advocate for themselves.
Who can participate in the survey?
Anyone who has been pregnant or given birth in South Korea within the last 5 years can participate in the SOS Public Health Maternal Health Survey. Such a survey aims to reach anyone in the multi-national community who experienced pregnancy and/or childbirth in the South Korean healthcare system within the last 5 years. This means participants may live in Korea or in another country after having given birth in Korea.
Inclusivity Notes
* South of Seoul strives to be inclusive of all genders. While we may use the terms such as ‘maternal’ and ‘woman/women,’ we mean to address every person with female reproductive functions.
What is the Maternal Health Survey assessing?
The Maternal Health Survey aims to research access to maternal healthcare for the English-speaking community in South Korea. The survey will consist of two main parts:
- Experiences in prenatal care, childbirth and postpartum care
- Access to maternal healthcare information
The survey consists of 60 questions and will take about 10 Minutes to complete. Since we are collecting foundational data on access to maternal healthcare in South Korea, the survey is a bit longer than a standard academic survey.
How can I participate in the Maternal Health Survey?
You can support the SOS Public Health maternal health research in two ways.
1. Take the survey
Everyone who has experienced pregnancy and/or childbirth in South Korea may participate. The Maternal Health Survey will be available from today until Sunday, April 10, 2022. The survey can be completed online via google forms and can be accessed from a computer, smartphone or tablet device. It will take 10 Minutes to complete the survey. Simply click the link provided to begin.


2. Share the survey
If you have any family, friends or community members who experienced pregnancy or childbirth in South Korea, we encourage you to share the survey with them. The more participants who fill out the survey, the better the data we will be able to collect. A robust data set will allow us to better serve our diverse maternal community.
To participate in the survey click HERE. The survey link will also be shared on the SOS Public Health, South of Seoul Facebook and Instagram pages.
Disclaimer
Your participation in this research study is voluntary and your answers will be anonymous. If you decide to participate in this research survey, you may withdraw at any time. All of the information that you provide will be treated as confidential and will only be used for research purposes.
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Are you a graduate student looking for practical experience in public health? Apply for a an SOS Public Health Practicum! Click below to learn more about the SOS Public Health Practicum Program.

Research Design & Implementation Team
UX/UI Supervisor & Editor

Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert.
Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities.
Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea.
Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea.
When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.
Research Compliance Supervisor & Editor

Ms. Peck graduated from the University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) in Incheon with a Master’s in Public Health and her Certification in Public Health (CPH). Ms. Peck also holds a Bachelor’s Degrees in Linguistics and one in International Studies with a Global Health emphasis.
Ms. Peck is Korean American and speaks both English and Korean. She has moved between the US and Korea since childhood, finally settling in Korea after graduating from UAC.
In 2021 Ms. Peck founded the South of Seoul Public Health Program which focuses on research and initiatives regarding the health and wellness of multinational residents in South Korea.
Additionally, Ms. Peck oversees the SOS Public Health Graduate Student Practicum Program which provides mentorship and training for Master’s in Public Health students. The program works with two students a semester with a focus on ethical UX research design, survey development, and initiative implementation.
Primary Researcher & Author

Denise Feurer holds a Master’s of Science in Public Health and a Bachelor’s in Nursing. Ms. Feurer is a public health researcher and advisor living and working in South Korea. Mrs. Feurer founded the Maternal Health Initiative for the South of Seoul Public Health Program in 2021. Her first research project or SOS Public Health launched in 2022.
Prior to joining the South of Seoul Public Health Program, Ms. Feurer volunteered for the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s (LSHTM) award-winning endeavor, the “Rapid Data Project”, to code and organize worldwide Covid-19 policies for WHO decision makers, student ambassador program representative, and UK Model WHO Academy.