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A recent publication from the Provincial Health Directorate (DPS) of Granma has sparked strong criticism among activists and Cuban users for what many see as an attempt to romanticize teen pregnancy, a phenomenon that is growing and raising concerns in Cuba.
In its official profile, the DPS shared a visit to the Maternal Home "8 de Marzo" in the municipality of Cauto Cristo, highlighting the case of Leidys, a teenager at 36 weeks of gestation, who will soon give birth to her daughter Mélany.
The post praised "the maturity" with which the young woman has embraced her pregnancy, and included excerpts from texts by José Martí about motherhood, describing the situation as an example of tenderness, hope, and beauty.
“Leidys, who in a few days will be the teenage mother of Mélany, has taken on her pregnancy with extraordinary maturity for her age. She dreams of being a teacher and educating the children in her community,” published DPS Granma.
The publication omits the young woman's exact age. Nonetheless, it sparked a wave of reactions on social media, where many Cubans criticized the "romantic" tone that authorities use to address a social and public health issue.
The activist Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia was one of the first to respond. "Is this really what you want to present as an achievement? Please! Girls should not be rushing through stages or becoming mothers when they should still be studying, playing, and building their future," she stated.
Regarding the future birth, she added: "Let it come with health, yes... but we should not romanticize a reality that hurts, that exposes vulnerabilities, that reveals huge failures in protection, education, and family and state support. A pregnant minor is not a cause for pride; it is an urgent call to examine what is happening around our girls."
Another user also harshly questioned the official post. "I completely agree. How can they not be ashamed of romanticizing teenage pregnancy?"
A structural problem
According to the 2024 Demographic Yearbook of Cuba, published by the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) in 2025, births to adolescent mothers accounted for nearly 18% of all deliveries in the country. In 2024 alone, there were 11,962 births from mothers aged 15 to 19 and 327 from mothers under 15, confirming the ongoing challenge of early pregnancies as a social and health issue on the island.
The eastern provinces, including Granma, Las Tunas, and Guantánamo, have the highest rates of teenage motherhood. Although the national rate has slightly decreased to 47.1 births per 1,000 adolescents, Cuba continues to rank among the countries with the highest incidence of teenage pregnancy in the region, according to official statistics.
The publication by DPS Granma, rather than promoting a responsible debate about these issues, has been perceived as an attempt to gloss over a painful reality with an official discourse of “tenderness and hope,” without acknowledging the social and psychological consequences faced by young mothers.
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