Havana, September 2 (RHC) -- Cuban health care community workers are following a new educational and prevention program to reduce pregnancies among teenagers as rates have increased in Santiago de Cuba province in the last few months.

Health officials in Santiago de Cuba are concerned about the high pregnancy rate because pregnancy between 12 and 14 is undesirable as girls of this age are still immature.

Community doctors estimated that the main causes are due to early sexual relations with no protection, lack of sexual education, little communication with their parents and sometimes a dysfunctional family.
According to the latest figures by the Mother-Child Program (PAMI) in Santiago de Cuba, over 45 girls between 12 and 14 had their pregnancies terminated and another 500 between 15 to 19 had planned abortions.

Figures in 2013 showed 5801 girls under 20 had an abortion and 2014 figures thus far are showing a similar rate.