Teenage mothers of Honduras

At the moment, Honduras ranks first in the world in the number of murders. Every day more than 20 people die here from firearms. One of the main reasons for this is, oddly enough, the crisis of the institution of the family. Most Honduran mothers and grandmothers are left alone, without money, but with a bunch of children to take care of. Teenage pregnancy is increasingly becoming one of the main factors of the family crisis.

According to the UN, Honduras ranks second in the world in terms of teenage pregnancy (after Nicaragua). In 2012, more than 50,000 teenage girls became pregnant in Honduras. Every 22nd case of pregnancy falls on a teenage girl, and this figure is growing every year. Girls aged from 12 to 18 are in maternity hospitals. The main reasons for such indicators are the lack of knowledge in the field of family planning, the lack of contraceptives, the ban on emergency contraception, the promotion of sex in the media, sexism in a patriarchal society, as well as the frightening level of sexual abuse by family members (fathers or stepfathers).

(35 photos in total)

1. A teenage girl in the hospital of Tegucigalpa for ultrasound to find out the sex of the child, his health status and the expected date of delivery.

2. Teenager Angela Bonilla is waiting for the ultrasound results.

3. 17-year-old Keren Valeska on ultrasound at Alonso Hospital, Tegucigalpa.

4. Keren Valeska is waiting for a doctor's appointment. Every day, more than a dozen teenage girls come to this hospital in Tegucigalpa to undergo ultrasound.

5. Dr. Philippe Reis makes notes about the last patient for today and her future child.

6. A pregnant teenage girl is waiting for a doctor's appointment with Dinora Rosales in the Body. This hospital has opened a department for counseling teenagers about family planning in order to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy.

7. Two expectant mothers drink soft drinks before seeing a doctor. They come to this health center to check the condition of their child and attend family planning courses.

8. Dr. Dinora Rosales calculates the expected date of delivery.

9. Dr. Dinora Rosales advises the expectant mother — 17-year-old Evelyn Beatrice.

10. Waiting room at La Ceiba Hospital.

11. Waiting room at Escuela Hospital, Tegucigalpa. Every third birth of a child in this hospital falls on a teenage mother.

12. 16-year-old Daniela Kristina in a regional hospital in Tela.

13. One of the beds in the maternity ward of the Escuela Hospital.

14. A newborn baby in the maternity ward of La Ceiba Hospital.

15. Maternity ward – teenage mothers and their newborn babies.

16. 16-year-old Clara Angelica with her son.

17. 13-year-old Maria Marlela with her newborn son.

18. The father of the child came to visit Maria Marlela in the hospital of Tegucigalpa.

19. The astonished father sees his son for the first time.

20. 12-year-old Katerina Michelle recently gave birth and is now waiting to see her baby.

21. 12-year-old Katerina Michelle calls relatives.

22. Katerina Michelle with a child in a room rented for her. A friend of her family, Belinda, initially refused to help Katerina, but then decided to shelter a young mother with a newborn.

23. A friend came to Katerina Michelle.

24. Belinda, a friend of Catherine Michelle, agreed to shelter her at home, although she is not her relative.

25. One of the beds in the maternity ward of the non-profit organization Hogares, which provides all kinds of assistance to teenage mothers.

26. 13-year-old Elia with her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter Sinal.

27. Elia plays with her daughter in the dorm room where they live.

28. Sinal plays while her mom watches TV.

29. One of the employees of an organization that helps teenage mothers styles Elia's hair.

30. One of the rooms of the organization in Hogares Cree, which provides assistance and support to underage mothers.

31. Young mom Cession enjoys the silence while her parents agreed to babysit.

32. 15-year-old Sandi feeds her son.

33. 15-year-old Sandi went for a walk with her child.

34. Underage mothers walk with their children.

35. Young mothers communicate on the playground. Domestic violence is one of the causes of teenage pregnancy. Girls working in such organizations help underage mothers raise children.