Teen Pregnancy Rates Rise in the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic — Teenage pregnancy presents a significant challenge for authorities and families, with new data revealing concerning statistics for 2024. The National Statistics Office reported that 585 girls aged 11 to 14 gave birth last year.

According to the agency’s Vital Statistics Yearbook, of these births, two girls were only 11 years old, 17 were 12, 124 were 13, and the remainder were 14. This trend is part of a larger issue, as 15,977 women aged 19 or younger had children in 2023, comprising 11.58 percent of the total births, which numbered 137,946.

While the majority of births, 75.44 percent, occurred among women aged 20 to 34, adolescent pregnancies remain a pressing issue for schools and educational systems in the Dominican Republic. The National Education Union highlighted that 4.8 percent of households had children aged 15 to 17 as the head of the household, indicating a concerning trend in youth parenting responsibilities.

The rise in teenage pregnancies raises questions about health education and access to resources for young people in the country. Local initiatives and support systems will be crucial in addressing this challenge and preventing further cases of early motherhood.