Some statistics surrounding baby abandonment and why it happens

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children,” late president Nelson Mandela once said.

“A mother will usually only leave her baby if it is the only option she feels is available to her. Baby saver boxes do not increase rates of ‘abandonment’ and offer an alternative to babies being dumped in pit latrines, fields or dustbins,” says Baby Savers SA (BSSA) co-founder and UJ professor, Dr Whitney Rosenberg.

Child abandonment is a criminal offence, and a person who abandons a child after birth may be charged and prosecuted.

Charges could include crimes such as concealment of birth and attempted murder but are difficult to do as mothers are hard to locate.

BSSA hopes in time mothers who safely relinquish their babies will not face harsh criminal consequences.

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Below we provide an overview of statistics and relevant information as it relates to this topic:

Changing the narrative

• Unsafe abandonment (baby left in a field or toilet)
• Safe relinquishment (left in a place of safety like a baby saver box)

Baby boxes

• A box in a wall at a place of safety that has a soft matrass and an alarm. This signals to care givers that a baby as been placed in the box which can be done anonymously by the mother.
• The first modern baby box in the world was installed in Berea, Johannesburg in 1999 at the Door of Hope Children’s Mission.
• The next one was in Germany in April 2004 after they visited the Berea one to learn how it worked

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• This led to them being installed in other countries, saving untold numbers of lives.
• Baby boxes remain technically illegal in South Africa despite there being no alternative for mothers to place babies safely if they are unwanted for a myriad of reasons.
• Baby boxes have a phone number or doorbell nearby. Often a mother will come to relinquish her baby and will ring the bell which sometimes results in support being offered enabling the pair to remain together, like financial or emotional support.

Some reasons why women choose to abandon or relinquish their babies are rape, poverty, gender-based violence (GBV), forced prostitution, teen pregnancy (especially young teens), unsuccessful illegal abortions, drugs or alcohol abuse.

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Statistics on abandoned or safely relinquished babies in South Africa

• Roughly 3 500 babes are abandoned each year in South Africa, or 300 a month (number only includes survivors)
• For every 1 baby found alive, 2 have been found deceased
• 70% of abandonments are unsafe and many babies are never found
• Since April 2020, 62 babies were found deceased, according to media reports or articles
• 65% of abandoned children are newborns

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Risks of death in newborn babies

• In 2019 globally, 47% of all under-5 deaths occurred in the newborn period with about one third dying on the day of birth and close to three quarters dying within the first week of life. (WHO)
• Children who die within the first 28 days of birth suffer from conditions and diseases associated with lack of quality care at birth or skilled care and treatment immediately after birth and in the first days of life. (WHO)
• A total of 106 383 registered live births occurred among adolescents (teenagers) 10–19 years in 2019.
• Economic factors at play: Almost 23,6% of South Africans in 2020 were affected by moderate to severe food insecurity, while almost 14.9% experienced severe food insecurity.
• Overall unemployment rates increased by 6.8 percentage points from 27.7% in 2017 to 34.5% in 2022. Males and females between the ages of 25–34 accounted for the most unemployed when compared to other age groups. The presence of minor children indirectly contributes to unemployment, particularly among women.

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World Health Organisation

All babies should receive the following:

• Thermal protection (e.g. promoting skin-to-skin contact between mother and infant)
• Hygienic umbilical cord and skin care
• Early and exclusive breastfeeding where possible
• Assessment for signs of serious health problems or need of additional care (e.g. those that are low-birth-weight, sick or have an HIV-infected mother).

The above statistics were collated from StatsSA, Department of Social Development, Baby Savers SA, Door of Hope Children’s Mission and National Adoption Coalition.

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