The Dominican Republic continues to grapple with a disturbing trend of child and teenage pregnancy. According to the National Statistics Office (ONE)’s Vital Statistics Yearbook, 585 girls between the ages of 11 and 14 gave birth in 2024. This figure highlights a stark reality: young girls are facing early motherhood, jeopardizing their health, development, and fundamental rights.
Of these 585 births, two girls were just 11 years old, 17 were 12, 124 were 13, and 442 were 14-year-olds. These cases are part of a larger trend: 15,977 births registered among women aged 19 and under, accounting for 11.58% of the total 137,946 births in the country during 2024.
While these statistics show a relative decrease compared to previous years, teenage pregnancy remains a critical issue. In 2024, there were 1,140 births to 15-year-olds, 2,007 to 16-year-olds, 2,916 to 17-year-olds, 4,044 to 18-year-olds, and 5,285 to 19-year-olds.
The average age of mothers under 20 in 2024 was 17.53 years, just below the legal age of majority. Despite the decline in percentages, when compared to 2012 data (40,417 births to teenage mothers), this still represents a 60.47% reduction over the analyzed period, indicating significant progress in addressing teenage pregnancy.
However, ONE’s report emphasizes that while there has been an overall decrease in teenage pregnancies, these figures may not be entirely accurate due to underreporting. Many teenage mothers lack national identification documents, hindering their ability to register births with the Civil Registry.
Although a downward trend in teenage pregnancy has been observed over the last decade, from 20.12% in 2014 to 11.58% in 2024, the Dominican Republic still faces high rates of early motherhood. The teenage pregnancy rate has decreased by 8.54% in the last 10 years – a positive change, but much work remains in terms of prevention, sex education, and access to healthcare services.
Both national and international organizations, including ONE, remain concerned about the continuing reality of pregnancies in girls under 14 years old, which they deem a grave problem requiring urgent attention through public policies aimed at protecting their rights and ensuring their full development without the barriers imposed by early motherhood.
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Noticias SIN
26 May 2025