Brazil’s Ministry of health: 1 in 5 children born to adolescent moms

World Today

The Ministry of Health in Brazil estimates that a staggering 1 in every 5 babies are born to an adolescent mother.

CGTN’s Lucrecia Franco reports.

Daiana dos Santos, 26-years-old, had her daughter, Maria Clara, when she was just 14 and her son, Ithalo, two years ago. Both fathers abandoned their children.

Dos Santos admits to herself that she sacrificed her youth, and a career, to unplanned pregnancies.

Daiana’s case is all too common in Brazil.

A recent study shows that teens gave birth to 431,000 babies in 2016, amounting to 21 percent of the country annual births, the same rate registered in 2007.

Despite the consequences, experts said, many Brazilian teenagers see motherhood as a life option in a country where there is lack of opportunity, especially among lower classes.

Cepia, a renowned NGO that focuses on women rights just developed an app that allows teens to educate themselves about unplanned pregnancy, sexuality and health.