Quintana Roo’s High Adolescent Pregnancy Rates Raise Concerns

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Quintana Roo remains among the five states in Mexico with the highest incidence of adolescent maternity, a problem that primarily affects girls and young women who are just beginning their youth, confirmed the Quintanarroense Institute of Youth (IQJ).

State authorities indicated that a significant percentage of young women already face pregnancies or child-rearing at early ages, a situation that limits their personal development, reduces their educational opportunities, and conditions their social integration.

The head of the IQJ, Alma Alvarado Moo, detailed that the state ranks among the top positions nationally in adolescent maternity, particularly in the age range of 12 to 16 years, which reflects the magnitude of the challenge in terms of public health and prevention.

As a reference, in 2023 there were 23,328 births recorded in Quintana Roo, of which 3,175 corresponded to adolescents between 10 and 19 years old, representing 13.61% of the total. The municipalities with the highest incidence were Lázaro Cárdenas and José María Morelos, with percentages exceeding 20%.

The official explained that early pregnancy not only affects adolescents but also their families and public institutions, as many young women abandon their studies, face economic precarity, and remain in conditions of greater social vulnerability.

Finally, she indicated that this phenomenon is associated with factors such as the lack of comprehensive sexual education, limited access to contraceptive methods, the normalization of early unions, and in some cases, situations of violence or abuse, which makes comprehensive and sustained attention necessary, as well as the participation of mothers, fathers, and guardians to reduce adolescent maternity and guarantee better living conditions for new generations.