Teenage pregnancies cast shadow on Christmas baby boom

More than 700 babies were born in public health facilities across South Africa on Christmas Day, according to the national Department of Health.

A total of 714 newborns were delivered between midnight and midday on 25 December, the department confirmed on Thursday.

“The department joins mothers and families in welcoming 714 newborns delivered in public health facilities across the country between midnight and midday on Christmas Day,” it said in a statement.

Health authorities used the occasion to encourage parents to prioritise early-life care, highlighting the importance of nutrition and immunisation.

“Parents are urged to invest in exclusive breastfeeding and child immunisation because they protect babies from preventable deadly diseases and improve survival, especially in the first months of life,” the department said.

The department also commended frontline healthcare workers for remaining on duty during the festive season.

“We commend the tireless health workers across the country for ensuring the safety of both the mothers and newborns,” the statement read.

According to the department, the first Christmas baby of 2025 was born at Elim Hospital in Limpopo at exactly midnight, followed by births at Tonga Hospital in Mpumalanga and Elizabeth Ross District Hospital in the Free State, both recorded at 12.02am.

Provincial statistics showed Gauteng recorded the highest number of births (217), followed by the Eastern Cape with 106.

Other provincial figures were as follows:

• Limpopo: 88 births

• Mpumalanga: 87

• KwaZulu-Natal: 74

• North West: 53

• Free State and Western Cape: 32 each

• Northern Cape: 25

While celebrating the festive arrivals, the department also raised concern over the number of teenage pregnancies, reporting that more than 30 teenage mothers were recorded during the reporting period.

“These young mothers, some as young as 15, now find themselves juggling the demands of parenthood while still navigating adolescence,” the department noted.

The department reaffirmed its long-term commitment to maternal and child healthcare, saying it “remains committed to strengthening maternal, neonatal and child health services to ensure that mothers and newborns receive dignified, safe and quality care”.

Officials cautioned that the figures are provisional, as they only reflect babies born between midnight and midday on Christmas Day. Final totals may change as more births are recorded throughout the day.

IOL News