By Mapaballo Borotho
- A new study has revealed a significant decline in teenage pregnancies across South Africa between 2021 and 2025.
- Researchers say the trend reverses years of rising adolescent pregnancy rates, particularly among girls aged 10 to 14.
- While experts have welcomed the decline, they warn that the numbers remain concerning and raise important public health and social questions.
South Africa has recorded a dramatic decline in teenage pregnancies, leaving researchers encouraged and searching for answers after what many once described as a growing “pandemic.”
A new study published in the South African Medical Journal found that births among girls aged 10 to 19 dropped by 16% between 2021 and 2025. Pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 14 declined by nearly 40%.
Researchers say the trend reverses years of rising adolescent pregnancy rates recorded across every province.
While the decline has largely been welcomed, experts warn that the data also raises important questions around public health, education planning and gender-based violence trends.
Wits University public health researcher Dr Peter Barron said the decline was unexpected because South Africa experienced a sharp increase in adolescent pregnancies before 2021.
“We looked at global trends and this seems to be a global phenomenon. There has been a decrease in adolescent pregnancies over the last 20 years, and I think South Africa is now catching up with the rest of the world,” he said.
Barron cautioned that despite the decline, the country’s teenage pregnancy rates remain alarmingly high.
“Last year there were about 2,000 pregnancies among girls between the ages of 10 and 14. Every pregnancy in that age group represents some form of rape or statutory rape.
“We cannot fully pinpoint the exact reasons behind the decline, but there are likely multiple contributing factors. It is probably linked to the digital age, where girls have greater access to information than in the past.
“The world is also more secure than it was 30 years ago, the cost of raising children is increasing, and more girls are becoming educated. There have also been lifestyle changes, with many young women now choosing to have fewer or no children,” he said.
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