Adolescents and family planning: what the evidence shows
Roughly one-quarter of the world’s population — 1.8 billion people — is between 10 and 24 years of age. Among the many sexually active adolescents worldwide, large numbers want to avoid, delay or limit pregnancy but lack the knowledge, agency or resources to make decisions regarding their reproduction. On average, unmet need for contraception is greater among unmarried adolescents than those who are married, however married adolescents ages 15-19 experience a higher percentage of unmet need than all married women.
This report synthesizes a review of the literature to identify barriers to adolescents’ access to and use of family planning services, programmatic approaches for increasing access and uptake of those services, gaps in the evidence that require further research, and areas that are ripe for future investment.
For the full review of literature, click here.
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