Almost a quarter of the babies born in this country are born to young girls between the ages of 13 and 16. Dr. Rosanna Lugo revealed on Sunday, 6 January that the Dominican Republic is number five on the list of Latin American countries in terms of teenage pregnancies, according to the World Health Organization. The expert told reporters from El Nuevo Diario that the situation was alarming since 25% of the population is made up of adolescents and the influence of the urban culture, the lack of opportunities, and social inequalities appear to be major causes to this high incidence of teen pregnancies.
Dr. Cesar Mella, an eminent psychiatrist, noted that the lack of parental supervision and care is also a contributing factor. The resulting social ostracism from these pregnancies can often lead to them dropping out or excluded from school, with the added vulnerability leading to prostitution and drugs.