Port Elizabeth - More than a thousand healthy babies were born on Christmas Day at public health facilities across South Africa, Health ministry spokesperson Popo Maja said on Wednesday.
Gauteng registered the highest number of babies with 301 with Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic hospital delivering 47 babies and Rahima Moosa Mother and Child hospital delivering 32 babies, including a set of twins. The gender split is 161 females and 140 males.
The second highest number of births, 275, was recorded in the Eastern Cape with 155 female babies and 113 male babies, 35 of whom were born through Caesarean section.
With only Free State not giving figures of gender, 713 of the babies in the other 8 provinces were girls. Limpopo recorded 262 births with 138 girls and 124 boys and Western Cape had 138 babies, with 83 boys and 55 girls. Mpumalanga delivered a total of 153 babies - 68 females and 85 males; KZN had a total of 106 - 63 boys and 43 girls. North West had 115 babies - 70 females and 45 males; Northern Cape delivered 55 Christmas babies - 29 males and 26 females; and Free State delivered 35.
However, the Health Ministry said it was still concerned by the teen pregnancies because of the significant number of maternal deaths among teenagers.
"At that age a girl simply just not ready to become a mother both physiologically and psychologically. We need to intensify our public education around reproductive health and the importance of family planning."
The also commended all health professionals for their dedication in saving lives during this festive season.