KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancies.
Although the latest figures from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) show a decline in teenage pregnancy, the issue remains a persistent concern for South Africa.
The country registered a total of 96 248 births to mothers aged 19 years and younger in 2024. Of these, 2 103 were of mothers between 10 and 14 years at the time of giving birth.
Provincially, the highest number of births in this age group was in KwaZulu-Natal (438), followed by the Eastern Cape (349).
In 2023, 100 095 births were registered to teenage mothers and 2 311 to those 14 years old and younger.
2023 vs 2024 statistics
During the first three quarters of 2024, about 1 424 girls between 10 and 14 years old gave birth. This is compared to the 67 389 births to mothers between 15 and 19 years old.
The Department of Basic Education previously noted the higher number of births for both age groups in the second quarter of the year. It attributed the births to the less busy October to December school period.
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“There is something that happens during October and December when pupils are not in school. These are pregnancies that would have occurred when we write exams and then close schools,” said the department earlier this year.
It emphasised the need for schools to refer pupils to youth centres during school holidays to keep them engaged in productive activities.
Teenage pregnancy
Government officials have expressed concerns over teenage pregnancy, especially during the festive season, when they visit new mothers in hospitals across the country.
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Among the new mothers in December last year was a 13-year-old girl who gave birth at Seshego Hospital outside Polokwane, in Limpopo, three 15-year-olds who gave birth at Emmaus, Hlabisa, and St Andrews Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, and a 16-year-old girl who gave birth at Klerksdorp/Tshepong Tertiary Hospital in the North West province.
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi shared her concerns about the rising cases of teenage pregnancies in the province.
“This is a deeply concerning trend. Teenage pregnancies not only affect the health of young mothers but also place additional pressure on families and the healthcare system,” she said.
She called for the strengthening of education and outreach programmes to address the root causes of teenage pregnancy, including socio-economic challenges, lack of access to information and gaps in family support.
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