Second, exclusive breastfeeding referred to
infants who received only breastmilk and vitamins,
mineral supplements and medicines during
the last 24 hours. The 2006 survey did not apply a
standard questionnaire as the 2009 survey did.
As a result, the prevalence of 25.1% in 2006
is unreliably high. The figure of 15.5% in the
2009 survey should be more reliable. However,
the 2006 MICS, based on a similar definition to
the one applied in the 2009 Reproductive Health
Survey, reported 5.4% exclusive breastfeeding
among children below 6 months old. There was
therefore progress in the prevalence of exclusive
breastfeeding between 2006 and 2009.
Third, the face-to-face interview used in the
Reproductive Health Survey may limit the accurate
measurement of unmet need for FP services;
it is embarrassing and socially stigmatising to
ask unmarried adolescents about their use of
contraception. A self-administered questionnaire
survey would be a better approach.
Fourth, we used point estimates without statistically
bound uncertainty for calculating the
prevalence and coverage in this study. Finally,
the Reproductive Health Survey only captures
the native Thai population (64 million). The
non-Thai highlanders in the Northern mountainous
areas (approximately 0.5 million) and
migrant workers (approximately 1 million women
migrants) were not enumerated by the survey.
Their reproductive health needs and coverage
are not well captured by this survey