According to the National Health Service (SNS), 3,414 adolescent births were recorded in the country’s three main public maternity hospitals from January to November 2024, El Nacional reports.
Of this number, 3,252 births were to girls aged 15 to 19, while 162 were to girls under 15. Nationally, the SNS reported 15,112 births among 15-19-year-olds, with 70% being Dominican and 30% Haitian. For girls under 15, there were 661 births, with 74.6% Dominican and 25.3% Haitian.
The Nuestra Señora de La Altagracia Maternity Hospital in Santo Domingo recorded the highest number of teen births, with 1,299 cases among 15-19-year-olds. Eight of these were twin births, and 20 babies were stillborn. The hospital also reported 67 births to girls under 15.
The Reynaldo Almánzar Maternity Hospital in Santo Domingo Norte followed closely, with 1,050 births to 15-19-year-olds, including 10 twins and six neonatal deaths. There were also 41 births to girls under 15, with one fatality.
The San Lorenzo de Los Mina Maternity Hospital in Santo Domingo Este reported 903 births to teenagers, with six sets of twins and 19 stillbirths. The hospital also recorded 54 births to girls under 15, highlighting the significant health risks and emotional challenges faced by these young mothers.
These figures underscore the persistent issue of teen pregnancy in the Dominican Republic. The average monthly number of teen births for the first 11 months of 2024 was 1,373. While there has been a slight decline in recent years, the rates remain alarmingly high.
Read more in Spanish:
El Nacional
9 January 2025