Abortion and Contraception in Georgia and Kazakhstan

Georgia has a very high rate of legal abortion and low use of modern contraception. To explore contributing causes and factors and to develop critical recommendations for the Government of Georgia and health and population donor organizations, OSI’s Network Public Health Program, in collaboration with the Open Society Georgia Foundation, sponsored Abortion and Contraception in Georgia and Kazakhstan. The report provides recommendations to health officials and policymakers for improving access to contraception in Georgia.

The authors suggest that the high rate of abortion and low prevalence of family planning are due to insufficient supplies of oral contraception and comprehensive family planning services. For instance, of the women interviewed in Georgia, 60 percent stated that their last pregnancy was mistimed or unwanted, and only 46 percent of women between the ages of 14 and 44 knew where to find oral contraception. By comparison, Georgian abortion rates were three times higher than those in Kazakhstan.

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