The lack of condoms and other contraceptive methods continues to worsen teen pregnancy in Cuba, where even state publications acknowledge that difficulties in accessing protection, deficiencies in sexual education, and economic conditions leave many young people exposed to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
An article published by the official newspaper Girón, from Matanzas, warns that when condoms are not available through state channels, young people are exposed to preventable risks and end up relying on the informal market or the economic capacity of their families.
"If protection depends on the informal market or the economic capacity of each family, it ceases to be a right and becomes a privilege," the text states.
The publication acknowledges that the problem is not limited to the availability of condoms. Prices, distribution difficulties, insufficient information, and a lack of trust in healthcare services are also part of a chain of obstacles that particularly affect adolescents.
This is complemented by a sexual education that the article itself describes as a "pending subject."
Although there are official programs, it acknowledges that they do not always provide the depth, continuity, or language necessary for young people to understand the risks and make informed decisions.
The silence within some families and the shortcomings of school curricula also leave teenagers without adequate tools to understand their bodies, set boundaries in their relationships, and negotiate the use of contraceptives, according to the analysis.
The situation is not new. In April, data on adolescent fertility showed that Cuba maintained high levels of pregnancy among minors despite the overall decline in fertility.
Among the issues highlighted at that time were precisely the shortage of condoms and contraceptives, as well as deficiencies in sexual education.
The Ministry of Public Health acknowledged in 2026 that 18.2% of the registered pregnancies in 2025 were among adolescents.
The problem also presents significant territorial differences and reaches particularly high levels in some eastern provinces.
Granma recorded an adolescent fertility rate of 56.5 births per 1,000 adolescents aged 15 to 19, followed by Holguín with 53.3, and Guantánamo with 50.9. In Las Tunas, adolescent pregnancy reached 19% during the first half of 2026, three percentage points higher than the previous period.
The phenomenon also has a significant gender dimension. Grisell Rodríguez, representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Cuba, has pointed out that adolescent fertility is also an expression of gender violence and stated that 99% of those pregnancies are unintended.
Data from 2025 also indicated that in 64.5% of adolescent pregnancies, the partner was an adult man.
Cuban authorities attempted to respond this year with new measures. In May, Resolution 174/2025 was published, aimed at organizing sexual and reproductive health services and strengthening the prevention of adolescent pregnancy.
The regulation aims, among other objectives, to ensure that adolescents have access to at least three contraceptive options.
The authorities themselves acknowledged, however, that the supply partially depends on international donations to acquire condoms, contraceptives, and intrauterine devices.
Supply difficulties remain evident. In July, the shortage of condoms in Cuban pharmacies contrasted with official campaigns on family planning, while the healthcare system continued to rely on imports and donations to meet part of the reproductive health needs.
The most severe consequences have been documented from previous years. In 2025, the lack of condoms was linked to unwanted pregnancies and clandestine abortion practices among teenagers, including cases of young individuals who arrived at hospitals after resorting to potions and other dangerous methods.
The problem did not begin recently. As early as 2021, health authorities in Cienfuegos linked the rise in adolescent pregnancies to the lack of condoms and contraceptive pills, while in Artemisa, health professionals once again warned in 2023 about the same combination of scarcity, early initiation of sexual relations, and low risk perception.
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