National Human Development Report 2017: Dominican Republic

Teenage pregnancy in the Dominican Republic is a complex problem and of high concern to the national agenda. Available data indicate that 22% of women between 12-19 years have been pregnant. This rate is 34% higher than the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. Teenage pregnancy is concentrated in specific areas of the country – the southern provinces and central Cibao - as well as among poorer people. The fact that the indicator (adolescent fertility rate) has shown little variation in the last three decades makes the picture complex. All this poses a development challenge that requires urgent attention, especially in a country that has experienced significant progress in terms of economic growth and improvements in many of its social indicators.