Latest news with #ReportonRegistrationofBirthsandDeaths2024
The Star
3 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Mum at 15: More teens in Singapore gave birth in 2024
SINGAPORE: Despite her mother's vehement objections and her former partner's indifference to her pregnancy, Sarah dropped out of school at Secondary 3 and became a mum at the age of 15. Sarah (not her real name), whose baby daughter is now 11 months old, said: 'I considered abortion at first, but when I saw my baby on the ultrasound, I felt a very strong connection to her.' The 16-year-old added: 'I feel the baby is innocent. I wanted to step up and take responsibility for the mistake I made.' More teenagers, like Sarah, are becoming mothers, according to the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2024 released by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on July 18. In 2024, there were 244 babies born to teenagers aged 19 or younger, up seven per cent from the 228 such babies in 2023. In 2022, the figure was 218. The slight increase marks a reversal from the steady fall in teen births in the past 20 years, especially when the numbers for teen births were much higher in the decade leading up to 2010. Melisa Wong, executive director at Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support, a charity that provides support to pregnant teens, cited a combination of reasons for the rise. She said many teens felt isolated or struggled with other negative emotions during the Covid-19 pandemic, and they may have had unprotected sex to seek connection or to cope with whatever they were going through. While teenagers generally explore romantic relationships at an earlier age these days, some may not use contraceptives for various reasons, she added. The rise in the number of teen births could also be due to fewer of them choosing an abortion, she noted. Non-profit groups that help pregnant women in distress, such as Babes and Safe Place, have seen those as young as 12 seeking help, though most of the pregnant teens are between 16 and 18 years of age. In the past five years, the average age of pregnant teens was 18, the Health Ministry said in 2024. Jennifer Heng, director of Safe Place, said many of the teens the group sees chose to keep their baby because of their religious beliefs and a sense of attachment to their unborn child. They also have supportive families or partners. Wong said some teens seek help only in their third trimester, when it is too late to get an abortion, so they end up giving birth. In Singapore, abortions are legal for women up to 24 weeks into their pregnancy. Social workers say these teen mums were not ready – mentally, emotionally or financially – for parenthood. And they struggled with feelings of fear and helplessness, and judgment from their friends and relatives, as Sarah did. Sarah said: 'Some of my relatives and friends say things like, 'So young, pregnant already'. I feel they look down on me for being a single mum.' She moved out from her mother's home to stay with her grand-aunt, the only person who supported her decision to keep her baby and who helps her with infant care. Her grand-uncle supports Sarah financially. She also broke up with her partner, who is five years older, before the baby was born. She said: 'I felt he didn't care about the baby, and there is no point staying if I have to do everything by myself. I didn't feel seen or heard.' She is thankful for Safe Place and its social workers, who give her counselling support and free necessities for her baby, such as milk powder and diapers, every month. 'Whenever I feel very overwhelmed, I would text my social worker and she comforts me. She also checks on me regularly,' Sarah said. 'It's exhausting to care for a baby, but I feel very happy to see my baby. She smiles a lot, and she is my pride and joy.' Meanwhile, 330 babies were registered in 2024 without their father's name. This number has remained relatively stable in the past few years. In 2024, one in four of these babies was born to teens aged 19 or below, the report on registration of births and deaths stated. Besides teens, Heng said women in their 20s comprise the other major group with babies registered without the father's name. She said the women do so because the fathers do not want to be involved in the child's life. Or the woman does not want the man to be involved, and she is afraid he would fight for custody of the child if his name is listed as the father. Wong said there are also teens with multiple partners who are unsure who the father is – hence the absence of a father's name. She added that some do not list the father's name 'as a way of starting afresh or emotionally detaching from a painful chapter'. - The Straits Times/ANN
AsiaOne
3 days ago
- Health
- AsiaOne
Mum at 15: More teens in Singapore gave birth in 2024, Singapore News
SINGAPORE - Despite her mother's vehement objections and her former partner's indifference to her pregnancy, Sarah dropped out of school at Secondary 3 and became a mum at the age of 15. Sarah (not her real name), whose baby daughter is now 11 months old, said: "I considered abortion at first, but when I saw my baby on the ultrasound, I felt a very strong connection to her." The 16-year-old added: "I feel the baby is innocent. I wanted to step up and take responsibility for the mistake I made." More teenagers, like Sarah, are becoming mothers, according to the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2024 released by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on July 18. In 2024, there were 244 babies born to teenagers aged 19 or younger, up 7 per cent from the 228 such babies in 2023. In 2022, the figure was 218. The slight increase marks a reversal from the steady fall in teen births in the past 20 years, especially when the numbers for teen births were much higher in the decade leading up to 2010. For example, there were 853 teen births in 2005. Ms Melisa Wong, executive director at Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support, a charity that provides support to pregnant teens, cited a combination of reasons for the rise. She said many teens felt isolated or struggled with other negative emotions during the Covid-19 pandemic, and they may have had unprotected sex to seek connection or to cope with whatever they were going through. While teenagers generally explore romantic relationships at an earlier age these days, some may not use contraceptives for various reasons, she added. The rise in the number of teen births could also be due to fewer of them choosing an abortion, she noted. Non-profit groups that help pregnant women in distress, such as Babes and Safe Place, have seen those as young as 12 seeking help, though most of the pregnant teens are between 16 and 18 years of age. [[nid:670377]] In the past five years, the average age of pregnant teens was 18, the Health Ministry said in 2024. Mrs Jennifer Heng, director of Safe Place, said many of the teens the group sees chose to keep their baby because of their religious beliefs and a sense of attachment to their unborn child. They also have supportive families or partners. Ms Wong said some teens seek help only in their third trimester, when it is too late to get an abortion, so they end up giving birth. In Singapore, abortions are legal for women up to 24 weeks into their pregnancy. Social workers say these teen mums were not ready - mentally, emotionally or financially - for parenthood. And they struggled with feelings of fear and helplessness, and judgment from their friends and relatives, as Sarah did. Sarah said: "Some of my relatives and friends say things like, 'So young, pregnant already'. I feel they look down on me for being a single mum." She moved out from her mother's home to stay with her grand-aunt, the only person who supported her decision to keep her baby and who helps her with infant care. Her grand-uncle supports Sarah financially. She also broke up with her partner, who is five years older, before the baby was born. She said: "I felt he didn't care about the baby, and there is no point staying if I have to do everything by myself. I didn't feel seen or heard." She is thankful for Safe Place and its social workers, who give her counselling support and free necessities for her baby, such as milk powder and diapers, every month. "Whenever I feel very overwhelmed, I would text my social worker and she comforts me. She also checks on me regularly," Sarah said. "It's exhausting to care for a baby, but I feel very happy to see my baby. She smiles a lot, and she is my pride and joy." Baby's father not named Meanwhile, 330 babies were registered in 2024 without their father's name. This number has remained relatively stable in the past few years. In 2024, one in four of these babies was born to teens aged 19 or below, the report on registration of births and deaths stated. Besides teens, Mrs Heng said women in their 20s comprise the other major group with babies registered without the father's name. She said the women do so because the fathers do not want to be involved in the child's life. Or the woman does not want the man to be involved, and she is afraid he would fight for custody of the child if his name is listed as the father. Ms Wong said there are also teens with multiple partners who are unsure who the father is - hence the absence of a father's name. She added that some do not list the father's name "as a way of starting afresh or emotionally detaching from a painful chapter". This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
New Paper
3 days ago
- Health
- New Paper
More teens in Singapore gave birth in 2024: ICA
Despite her mother's vehement objections and her former partner's indifference to her pregnancy, Sarah dropped out of school at Secondary 3 and became a mum at the age of 15. Sarah (not her real name), whose baby daughter is now 11 months old, said: "I considered abortion at first, but when I saw my baby on the ultrasound, I felt a very strong connection to her." The 16-year-old added: "I feel the baby is innocent. I wanted to step up and take responsibility for the mistake I made." More teenagers, like Sarah, are becoming mothers, according to the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2024 released by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on July 18. In 2024, there were 244 babies born to teenagers aged 19 or younger, up 7 per cent from the 228 such babies in 2023. In 2022, the figure was 218. The slight increase marks a reversal from the steady fall in teen births in the past 20 years, especially when the numbers for teen births were much higher in the decade leading up to 2010. For example, there were 853 teen births in 2005. Ms Melisa Wong, executive director at Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support, a charity that provides support to pregnant teens, cited a combination of reasons for the rise. She said many teens felt isolated or struggled with other negative emotions during the Covid-19 pandemic, and they may have had unprotected sex to seek connection or to cope with whatever they were going through. While teenagers generally explore romantic relationships at an earlier age these days, some may not use contraceptives for various reasons, she added. The rise in the number of teen births could also be due to fewer of them choosing an abortion, she noted. Non-profit groups that help pregnant women in distress, such as Babes and Safe Place, have seen those as young as 12 seeking help, though most of the pregnant teens are between 16 and 18 years of age. In the past five years, the average age of pregnant teens was 18, the Health Ministry said in 2024. Mrs Jennifer Heng, director of Safe Place, said many of the teens the group sees chose to keep their baby because of their religious beliefs and a sense of attachment to their unborn child. They also have supportive families or partners. Ms Wong said some teens seek help only in their third trimester, when it is too late to get an abortion, so they end up giving birth. In Singapore, abortions are legal for women up to 24 weeks into their pregnancy. Social workers say these teen mums were not ready - mentally, emotionally or financially - for parenthood. And they struggled with feelings of fear and helplessness, and judgment from their friends and relatives, as Sarah did. Sarah said: "Some of my relatives and friends say things like, 'So young, pregnant already'. I feel they look down on me for being a single mum." She moved out from her mother's home to stay with her grand-aunt, the only person who supported her decision to keep her baby and who helps her with infant care. Her grand-uncle supports Sarah financially. She also broke up with her partner, who is five years older, before the baby was born. She said: "I felt he didn't care about the baby, and there is no point staying if I have to do everything by myself. I didn't feel seen or heard." She is thankful for Safe Place and its social workers, who give her counselling support and free necessities for her baby, such as milk powder and diapers, every month. "Whenever I feel very overwhelmed, I would text my social worker and she comforts me. She also checks on me regularly," Sarah said. "It's exhausting to care for a baby, but I feel very happy to see my baby. She smiles a lot, and she is my pride and joy." Baby's father not named Meanwhile, 330 babies were registered in 2024 without their father's name. This number has remained relatively stable in the past few years. In 2024, one in four of these babies was born to teens aged 19 or below, the report on registration of births and deaths stated. Besides teens, Mrs Heng said women in their 20s comprise the other major group with babies registered without the father's name. She said the women do so because the fathers do not want to be involved in the child's life. Or the woman does not want the man to be involved, and she is afraid he would fight for custody of the child if his name is listed as the father. Ms Wong said there are also teens with multiple partners who are unsure who the father is - hence the absence of a father's name. She added that some do not list the father's name "as a way of starting afresh or emotionally detaching from a painful chapter".
Straits Times
3 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Mum at 15: More teens in Singapore gave birth in 2024
Find out what's new on ST website and app. In Singapore, abortions are legal for women up to 24 weeks into their pregnancy. SINGAPORE – Despite her mother's vehement objections and her former partner's indifference to her pregnancy, Sarah dropped out of school at Secondary 3 and became a mum at the age of 15. Sarah (not her real name), whose baby daughter is now 11 months old, said: 'I considered abortion at first, but when I saw my baby on the ultrasound, I felt a very strong connection to her.' The 16-year-old added: 'I feel the baby is innocent. I wanted to step up and take responsibility for the mistake I made.' More teenagers, like Sarah, are becoming mothers, according to the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2024 released by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on July 18. In 2024, there were 244 babies born to teenagers aged 19 or younger, up 7 per cent from the 228 such babies in 2023. In 2022, the figure was 218. The slight increase marks a reversal from the steady fall in teen births in the past 20 years, especially when the numbers for teen births were much higher in the decade leading up to 2010. For example, there were 853 teen births in 2005. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar Ms Melisa Wong, executive director at Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support, a charity that provides support to pregnant teens, cited a combination of reasons for the rise. She said many teens felt isolated or struggled with other negative emotions during the Covid-19 pandemic, and they may have had unprotected sex to seek connection or to cope with whatever they were going through. While teenagers generally explore romantic relationships at an earlier age these days, some may not use contraceptives for various reasons, she added. The rise in the number of teen births could also be due to fewer of them choosing an abortion, she noted. Non-profit groups that help pregnant women in distress, such as Babes and Safe Place, have seen those as young as 12 seeking help, though most of the pregnant teens are between 16 and 18 years of age. In the past five years, the average age of pregnant teens was 18, the Health Ministry said in 2024. Mrs Jennifer Heng, director of Safe Place, said many of the teens the group sees chose to keep their baby because of their religious beliefs and a sense of attachment to their unborn child. They also have supportive families or partners. Ms Wong said some teens seek help only in their third trimester, when it is too late to get an abortion, so they end up giving birth. In Singapore, abortions are legal for women up to 24 weeks into their pregnancy. Social workers say these teen mums were not ready – mentally, emotionally or financially – for parenthood. And they struggled with feelings of fear and helplessness, and judgment from their friends and relatives, as Sarah did. Sarah said: 'Some of my relatives and friends say things like, 'So young, pregnant already'. I feel they look down on me for being a single mum.' She moved out from her mother's home to stay with her grand-aunt, the only person who supported her decision to keep her baby and who helps her with infant care. Her grand-uncle supports Sarah financially. She also broke up with her partner, who is five years older, before the baby was born. She said: 'I felt he didn't care about the baby, and there is no point staying if I have to do everything by myself. I didn't feel seen or heard.' She is thankful for Safe Place and its social workers, who give her counselling support and free necessities for her baby, such as milk powder and diapers, every month. 'Whenever I feel very overwhelmed, I would text my social worker and she comforts me. She also checks on me regularly,' Sarah said. 'It's exhausting to care for a baby, but I feel very happy to see my baby. She smiles a lot, and she is my pride and joy.' Baby's father not named Meanwhile, 330 babies were registered in 2024 without their father's name. This number has remained relatively stable in the past few years. In 2024, one in four of these babies was born to teens aged 19 or below, the report on registration of births and deaths stated. Besides teens, Mrs Heng said women in their 20s comprise the other major group with babies registered without the father's name. She said the women do so because the fathers do not want to be involved in the child's life. Or the woman does not want the man to be involved, and she is afraid he would fight for custody of the child if his name is listed as the father. Ms Wong said there are also teens with multiple partners who are unsure who the father is – hence the absence of a father's name. She added that some do not list the father's name 'as a way of starting afresh or emotionally detaching from a painful chapter'.
Straits Times
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
S'pore sees no baby boom in Year of the Dragon despite slight rise in births in 2024
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Historically, there has been a baby boom each dragon year, which falls every 12 years in the zodiac cycle. SINGAPORE – The much hoped for baby boom did not materialise in the Year of the Dragon, but there was a slight rise in births in 2024. In total, 33,703 babies were born in 2024, up by 0.5 per cent from the 33,541 born in 2023, according to the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2024. The report was released by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on July 18. Singapore's birth rate is among the world's lowest, and the Government has been trying for years to get Singaporeans to have more babies. Meanwhile, the number of deaths fell from 26,888 in 2023 to 26,442 in 2024, a drop of 1.7 per cent. This is the first time the number of deaths fell from the previous year in almost a decade, a check by The Straits Times found. With Singapore's rapidly ageing society, the number of deaths has been steadily rising over the decades. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore Singapore 'I thought it was an April Fool's joke': Teen addicted to Kpods on news that friend died Asia Cool photo spots, viral food videos: Malaysia plans to woo Chinese tourists via social media Asia From propaganda to passion: N. Korean TV show mimics K-drama to fend off banned media from the South Singapore New auto pet wash service in Buona Vista draws flak, but firm stands by its safety Singapore 314 suicides reported in Singapore in 2024, remains leading cause of youth deaths Asia 'Guardian angels': Taiwan's dementia-friendly village promotes ageing in place Life US tech firm launches probe into Coldplay 'kiss cam' couple after clip goes viral The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to have also contributed to the higher number of deaths between 2020 and 2022. The two leading causes of death in 2024 were cancer and heart and hypertensive diseases, which accounted for over half of all deaths here. In February, Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, said that the dragon year effect has been diminishing over the years, reflecting the generational shifts in attitudes and priorities among young couples. Ms Rajah, whose ministry oversees population issues, said the preliminary total fertility rate (TFR), which refers to the average number of babies each woman would have during her reproductive years, remained at 0.97 in 2024. This is the same figure as 2023, when Singapore's TFR fell below 1 for the first time. In February, the total number of babies born in 2024 was not made public yet. In the Chinese zodiac calendar, the Dragon Year has traditionally been considered an auspicious time to have children, as the dragon is associated with good fortune, success and leadership, among other desirable traits. Historically, there has been a baby boom each dragon year, which falls every 12 years in the zodiac cycle. For example, there were 36,178 babies born in 2011 but 38,641 in 2012, which was Year of the Dragon – an increase of 6.8 per cent. The increase in births in the dragon year before that was even higher. In the 2000 dragon year, a total of 44,765 babies were born - an 8.3 per cent jump from the 41,327 babies born in 1999. Over the past two decades, the Government has introduced a slew of measures and benefits to boost the country's birth rate.
