Reducing early and unintended pregnancies among adolescents

Interventions to reduce unmet need for contraception and early and unintended pregnancies among adolescents should be critical components of family planning programs in developing countries. This evidence brief highlights evidence and provides research and program considerations for improving access to family planning and reducing unintended pregnancy. It describes the following five elements that must be in place in order to apply evidence to large-scale, national-level programs: collect, analyze, and use accurate and up-to-date data; formulate or revise national laws and policies; develop national adolescent sexual and reproductive health strategies; implement strategies with careful monitoring; and conduct periodic program reviews.