The Interior Ministry aims to reduce the rate of premature births by 50% and also cut down teenage pregnancies through promotion of preventive measures from the grassroots level.
The current rate of preterm births in the country is about 12% of all births, slightly more than the global average of 11%, and compared with about 7% in China, according to World Health Organization estimates.
Citing the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Interior Minister Suttipong Juljarern told a recent meeting that the ministry aims to achieve good health and well-being, quality education and reduced inequality.
Healthcare access and prenatal care are essential for pregnant women and a key to prevent premature birth. “The ministry expects to reduce premature births by 50% during the 2023-24 fiscal year,” he said.
Prenatal care should be promoted among pregnant women, especially those who are teenage mothers, to provide proper pregnancy care and reduce risks of developing pregnancy-related complications, he said.
“Youths, university students and the general public should be aware of the importance of early prenatal care,” he said. “Even in the postnatal period, mothers and newborns still require specific care. Comprehensive pregnancy care is crucial to a child’s development.”
He made the comments at a meeting also attended by Dr Tharathip Kolatat, manager of the Thai Maternal and Child Health Network, Ansit Samphantharat, director-general of the Community Development Department and officials from the Public Health and Education ministries.
Provincial administrations led by provincial governors, district and village chiefs and village health volunteers will play key roles in approaching people and informing them about prenatal care, he said.
Dr Tharathip said five factors that cause premature births are a lack of prenatal care by professionals; inconsistent prenatal tests; unawareness of premature birth signs; inaccessibility to healthcare and underlying health conditions.
He said many factors are affected by financial limitations such as inability to travel to see professionals or pay for prenatal tests.
“The most important solution is to receive prenatal care. Prenatal tests are crucial as they can detect unusual signs during pregnancy,” he added.
Teenage pregnancy has fallen in Thailand but remains a concern. The rate of births to young women aged 15-19 was 23 per 1,000 live births in 2019, according to a Unicef survey. This compares with 53 per 1,000 reported in 2015. The global average is around 43 per 1,000 births, according to the WHO.
Mr Suttipong said that while teenage pregnancy might be frowned upon, the government ensures that pregnant students should be allowed to finish a basic education up to grade 12 if they wish.
He said schools and families should promote safe sex to students and children to prevent unwanted pregnancies.