INCIDENCE OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN GEORGIA AND AUSTRALIA. PATTERNS OF SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE AND RELATED HEALTHCARE...

Teenage pregnancy has been a target for prevention in many countries. Teen motherhood may adversely influence social determinants of health, including education attainment, employment and reliance on welfare support. We compared socioeconomic factors and geographical influencers affecting teenage pregnancy and birth outcomes across Georgia and Australia. Georgia has a teenage pregnancy rate three times higher than Australia. However, there are similar proportions of contraceptive use between Georgian and Australian teenagers as well as increasing rates of sexual health literacy in both countries. Both countries, however, show a comparative deficiency in sexual health literacy for rural populations resulting in earlier sexual experiences in Georgia and higher teenage pregnancy rates in Australia with Indigenous teenage mothers over-represented. More age-appropriate sexual health and contraception education is required in both Georgia and Australia, especially for rural areas, Indigenous populations and ethnic minorities. Further research is needed to supply teenage pregnancy and birth data from Georgian population.