Children giving birth to children: 'Chances of mom & baby being harmed is extremely high'

Africa Melane interviews Dr Kasturi Moodley, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Mediclinic Pietermaritzburg.

Listen below.

South Africa has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the world, with nearly one in four girls becoming pregnant before their 20th birthday, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

This issue gained renewed attention during Pregnancy Awareness Week in February.

Statistics South Africa reported that from March 2021 to April 2022, a total of 90 037 girls aged 10 to 19 gave birth across all nine provinces.

Additionally, the report highlighted that out of nearly 34 000 teenage pregnancies in 2020, 660 involved girls younger than 13 years old.

RELATED: Alarming surge in teen pregnancies grips South Africa amid global decline

"That statistic is quite alarming and very troubling."

- Dr Kasturi Moodley, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist – Mediclinic Pietermaritzburg

Moodley notes that although the female body is biologically designed for conception and childbirth, the psychological and emotional impact on a young individual can be a profound and an enduring challenge.

For someone as young as 10 years old, the physical trauma of childbirth is exceptionally severe and can have lasting consequences.

RELATED: Nearly 3,000 girls under 14 were pregnant in SA in the last year

"The long terms effects of that are quite huge."

- Dr Kasturi Moodley, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist – Mediclinic Pietermaritzburg

Moodley finds the most concerning issue with young children giving birth is that many are unaware of their pregnancy until it's advanced.

Since menstrual cycles often start around ages 10 or 11 and are typically irregular, it’s challenging for young girls to monitor their cycles accurately.

By the time they realise they are pregnant, it is often too late to access adequate medical care to ensure the health and well-being of both mother and baby throughout the pregnancy, she says.

"They might just have stomach cramps and all of sudden there's something that's coming out of the vagina."

- Dr Kasturi Moodley, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist – Mediclinic Pietermaritzburg

"The chances that both mother and baby can be harmed is very very high."

- Dr Kasturi Moodley, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist – Mediclinic Pietermaritzburg

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.