More than 500 babies born on Christmas Day in South Africa

More than 500 babies were born across the country between midnight and midday on Christmas Day, the majority of them in Gauteng. 

The department of health announced on Sunday that two 15-year-olds who gave birth at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, in Umlazi outside Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, and at Tonga Hospital in Mpumalanga, were among the youngest mothers.

Health minister Joe Phaahla welcomed the births and congratulated the parents and healthcare professionals for the successful and safe delivery of the newborns.

The department said provinces that recorded the first childbirths included Limpopo and Mpumalanga where healthy babies were born on the stroke of midnight at Voortrekker Hospital in Mokopane and Temba Hospital in Kabokweni outside Mbombela.

In the Eastern Cape the first baby was born a minute after midnight at Sipetu Hospital in Mount Frere.

The Free State recorded the birth of its first baby, weighing 3.010kg, at National District Hospital in Bloemfontein at 12.04am, while North West recorded the birth of a baby boy weighing 1.2kg at 12.05am at the JB Marks Community Health Centre.

The baby was placed in the neonatal ICU at Potchefstroom Hospital and the condition of both the mother and baby is stable, health department spokesperson Foster Mohale stated.

“The department wishes all mothers and babies a long and health journey of life, and reminds all mothers to ensure their babies are up-to-date with immunisation schedule accessible in the Road-to-Health booklet, otherwise known as Clinic card, to protect them against childhood diseases such as measles,” Mohale said.

Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal welcomed 47 babies — 24 boys and 23 girls — with the first Christmas Day baby in the province born at Durban's King Dinizulu Hospital to a 36-year-old mother.

The newborn girl weighed 2.9kg and arrived on the stroke of midnight, the provincial health department announced.

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