Thailand: Family Planning Activities 1968 to 1970

Thailands family planning program administered through the Ministry of Public Health between 1968 and 1970 was initiated without official government approval or public information campaign but simply added to the health service clinics. 412958 acceptors participated in the program over the 3 years receiving oral contraceptives and intrauterine devices and showed a continuation rate of over 70% at 12 months. Clinic records showed that most of the acceptors are agricultural workers from rural areas under 30 years of age with 4 or less years of schooling and less than 4 pregnancies. Most acceptors were apparently using contraception for the first time and for the purpose of limiting rather than spacing their families. A postpartum program is operating in 15 hospitals in the country where 40%-85% of the maternity patients accept family planning services. Contraceptive services are rapidly expanding after a pilot study approved the use of auxiliary midwives for administering oral contraceptives. Though serious logistical cultural and educational problems remain in the family planning program in Thailand a new program is being launched with massive public information increased emphasis on sterilization and expanded services in the rural areas to reach a target reduction in the annual population growth rate from 3.0% to 2.5%.