Mexico City - According to official figures of Mexico City Health Department, last year the Maternity Hospital of Cuautepec in Gustavo A. Madero district and the Regional General Hospital of Iztapalapa attended 816 and 811 cases of teen pregnancies respectively.

The lack of opportunities, a life plan and public policies that are not implemented by the government contribute to a perfect environment for an early start of sex life.

Experts in the field say that there are countless reasons for which people under 18 decide to exercise their sexuality without prior knowledge, leading to a high number of pregnancies in specific areas of Mexico City.

"The lack of sexual education due to the influence of a conservative policy about the access to information and failing to provide information on the body have led youngsters to experiment without having an important basis about their health," said Lourdes Barbosa, director of the NGO Mujeres en Frecuencia. Because of this, and a socio-cultural context of poverty and lack of opportunities, there is a significant number of pregnancies in women under 18.

According to official figures of Mexico City Health Department, last year the Maternity Hospital of Cuautepec in Gustavo A. Madero district and the Regional General Hospital of Iztapalapa attended 816 and 811 cases of teen pregnancies respectively. The Ajusco Medio General Hospital ranked third, with 712 cases last year, followed by Belisario Domínguez and Inguarán hospitals, with 706 and 675 cases respectively.

Early Sexual Awakening

Activist Lourdes Barbosa said that girls start preparing for motherhood from an early age.

"Girls receive dolls, feeding bottles and saucers as presents, all aimed at performing a role that is being assumed earlier and earlier in their lives," she explained.

Dr. María Eloisa Muñoz, specialist of the Medical Area of the Zaragoza School of Higher Studies (FES) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), said that another factor that promotes an early beginning of sexual life is the influence of mass media.

"Most TV programs are inviting them to have sex. For example soap operas, competitions where little children sing adult or erotic songs, that is not right. These programs sicken society and pollute our youth," Muñoz said.

For this reason she urged to the creation of public policies conducive to a late sexual debut. "Teenagers must understand that if they become pregnant at a young age they will narrow their opportunities to move forward," she said.