Health
1Min
South Africa
Dec 26, 2025
The Department of Health has announced that 1,668 babies were safely delivered at public health facilities nationwide on Christmas Day this year, an increase of 308 births compared to the 1,360 recorded on the same day in 2024.
The Department of Health has announced that 1,668 babies were safely delivered at public health facilities nationwide on Christmas Day this year, an increase of 308 births compared to the 1,360 recorded on the same day in 2024.
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital was among the health facilities that recorded the highest number of babies delivered on Christmas Day across the country, with 38 births, followed by Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital in Gauteng, which welcomed 35 newborns.
In a statement on Friday, the Department called on mothers and families to ensure they register their bundles of joy with the Home Affairs Department within 30 days of the birth. Most hospitals in the country offer this service at birth.
The number of teenage mothers has risen slightly, increasing from 90 in 2024 to just over 130 this year. This highlights the need for stronger collaboration among all stakeholders to step up Sexual and Reproductive Health awareness programmes, including family planning. Such efforts aim to equip adolescent girls and young women with the necessary health education to make informed choices, reduce unintended pregnancies, and ultimately lower the incidence of unsafe and life-threatening abortions.
The provincial breakdown shows that Gauteng recorded the highest number of births with 428, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 302, the Eastern Cape with 187, Limpopo with 182, the Western Cape with 171, Mpumalanga with 172, the North West with 95, the Free State with 88, and the Northern Cape with 43.
