Health Department records decreased teenage mom numbers, 13-year-old counted

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While the Department of Health records a total number of 1 360 new born babies on Christmas day 2024, the welcoming was not short of disappointments as teenage moms are also counted in the number.

However, the Department says they are happy to see the number of teen moms decreasing compared to 2023 same time.Among the new mothers was a 13-year-old who gave birth to a healthy baby at Seshego Hospital, located outside Polokwane in Limpopo.

While three 15-year-olds delivered their babies at Emmaus, Hlabisa, and St Andrews Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal. In addition, a 16-year-old also gave birth to a baby boy at Klerksdorp-Tshepong Tertiary Hospital, in the North West.

The Department also said that the figure of 1 360 births represents approximately 300 fewer births than the 1 708 babies delivered in 2023 and about 50 fewer than the 1 414 babies born in 2022.