More than 23,000 teenage pregnancies recorded in South Africa

A total of 23 thousand, 226 teenage pregnancies were registered by the Provincial Health Department of Gauteng between April 2020 and March 2021.

The number was revealed today, Wednesday, August 18 in a question and answer session of the Public Ministry presented at the Provincial Legislature of Gauteng, (which houses the cities of Pretoria, the administrative capital of the country, and Johannesburg, the largest economic centre).

2 thousand, 976 girls between 10 and 19 years old chose to terminate the pregnancy, while 934 girls between 10 and 14 years old decided to give birth, underlined Nomathemba Mokgethi, provincial health director.

The month of July had the highest number of births (1,984 births) whose mothers ranged between 15 and 19 years old, while August had the highest number of girls between 10 and 14 years old, responsible for (155 births).

Rape cases are reported by health workers in hospitals and clinics, the Department of Social Development, and the South African Police Service (SAPS). There are no statistics specifically collected on how many cases of rape and culminating in pregnancy have been opened.

“These numbers are incredibly sad and worrisome, considering that these are young girls who still have a future ahead of them. Teenage pregnancy remains a serious health and social problem in South Africa. The health of the mother (teenager) as well as that of the baby, in addition to the social consequences such as the continuation of the cycle of poverty and early school leaving,” informed the Public Ministry in a statement.

For its part, the largest South African party in opposition to the Democratic Alliance (DA), points out that poverty prevents residents of informal settlements from staying at home, likewise appealing to the Departments of Social Development, Education and Health, to intensify their campaigns against teenage pregnancy.

“Young women must be taught about the consequences of pregnancy at an early age and preventive measures to curb this phenomenon. As for underage girls, they must also be given the opportunity to know their rights in this regard and to know that at no time, can they be forced,” emphasized the party.

source: Angop