Table 3.

Standardized definitions of newborn coverage indicators used for this analysis and comparability to DHS (Phase 7) module and MICS6

Indicator group	Standardized definition	Comparability to DHS (Phase 7)	Comparability to MICS6
Breastfeeding initiation	Put to breast within one hour of birth	Comparable	Comparable
Thermal care	Dried within five minutes of birth OR before delivery of the placenta	Somewhat comparable (DHS does not reference exact time or delivery of placenta' to 'DHS does not use five minutes or delivery of placenta for time reference)	Somewhat comparable (MICS6 does not reference exact time or delivery of placenta' to 'MICS6 does not use five minutes or delivery of placenta for time reference)
	Wrapped within five minutes of birth OR before delivery of the placenta	Not comparable (not collected in DHS)	Not comparable (MICS6 asks if baby wrapped up before placed on mother’s bare chest.)
	Neonate put on the belly or breast before delivery of the placenta OR directly on the bare skin of your chest	Somewhat comparable (DHS specifies bare skin must be touching in 2 questions)	Somewhat comparable (MICS specifies bare skin must be touching in 2 questions and a photo)
	Not given a bath in the first 24 h after birth	Comparable	Comparable
Hygienic cord care	A new or sterilized (boiled) instrument was used to cut the umbilical cord, or a clean delivery kit was used	Somewhat comparable (DHS does not ask about clean delivery kit)	Somewhat comparable (MICS6does not ask about clean delivery kit)
	No substance was applied to the umbilical cord after it was cut	Comparable	Comparable

DHS – Demographic and Health Survey, MICS – Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey