The recent National Statistics Office (ONE) report on adolescent pregnancies in the Dominican Republic. carries stats on the epidemic of teenage pregnancies. According to ONE, some 4,494 young women between 15 and 19 years of age gave birth or suffered an abortion in the first quarter of 2024. The border province of Montecristi registered over 25% of these pregnancies.
In fact, the largest number of pregnancies among young women and girls are in those provinces on the border, such as Pedernales, Dajabon, Bahoruco, and Elias Piña.
The list also includes Samana, San Cristobal, Barahona, and Peravia (Bani). Of these 4,494 cases, only 361 pregnancies were aborted. Abortion is illegal in the Dominican Republic.
The ONE noted that in the Dominican Republic for every 1000 women between the ages of 15 and 19, there are 77 live births. The report states that as educational level and economic levels increase, the fertility levels among adolescents decreases.
Despite the grim numbers, there has been a significant decline in teen pregnancies.
Teen pregnancy rates in the Dominican Republic have seen a significant decrease in the first quarter of 2024, according to the National Council for Children and Adolescents (Conani). Compared to the same period in 2023, there were 1,623 fewer pregnancies among teenagers, representing a 26.6% drop.
This positive development comes amid ongoing efforts by the Dominican government to address the issue of teen pregnancy, which has historically been a major social and health concern in the country.
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10 June 2024