Teenage pregnancy
The above effects of teenage pregnancy in Australia have been closely researched, and statistics have found that the majority of this population are more likely to fall into one or more of the above categories. In terms of general health, the proportion of teenage mothers who report poor or fair health is nearly twice as high than other mothers. Teenagers have also been associated with high dependence on welfare agencies such as Centrelink. Birth is also much more complicated; their babies have a higher rate of suffering problems such as preterm birth, low birth weight and congenital abnormalities. Teenage pregnancy and childbirth is an important adolescent health issue in Australia due to long-term negative psychological outcomes for both mother and child and its association with detrimental physical consequences.