Teenage pregnancies in Australia

Teenage Pregnancy in Australia

Date for 15 – 19 year olds taken between 1997 -1999

For every 1000 woman between the age of 15 and 19 there are on average 23.9 abortions compared to 20.1 live births. The teenage pregnancy rate is the 6th highest in the world however we have the 3rd highest abortion rates in teenage girls with the USA and Hungary 1st and 2nd respectively.

Aboriginal teenagers account for 21.3% if indigenous births compared to Caucasian teenagers accounting for 4.2% of Caucasian births. Aboriginal teenagers are less likely to terminate births however they have poorer antenatal care.

Teenagers who become mothers are more likely to be:

Single
Smokers
Victims of domestic violence
Living in lower socio economic area’s
From rural and remote areas

Teenage Pregnancies carry the complications of:

Having underweight babies
Having premature babies

Teenage pregnancies often require neo natal care


Reference
Medical Journal of Australia (2003; 179(3): 158-161)
http://www.womhealth.org.au/studentfactsheets/teenagepregnancy.htm