Peer-reviewed article
Adolescent demand for contraception and family planning services in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Julianne Deitch, Lindsay Stark ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review examined published research on how many adolescent girls aged 15-19 in low- and middle-income countries want access to contraception and family planning services. The review found 18 studies covering 29 countries, showing that demand for contraception among adolescents ranges widely from 22% in Azerbaijan to 98% in Peru. The research highlights that while demand is generally high, most studies only measure current use or unmet need, and many exclude unmarried adolescents and males from their analysis.
Key points
- An estimated 23 million adolescent girls age 15-19 in low- and middle-income countries have unmet contraceptive needs
- Adolescent demand for contraception ranged from 22% among married adolescents in Azerbaijan to 98% in Peru
- Most studies relied on cross-sectional data with limited measurement approaches
- Young, unmarried, and male adolescents were largely excluded from included studies
- There is no consensus on how to measure adolescent demand for contraception
Limitations
The review only identifies what demand-related indicators are being measured in existing literature rather than directly measuring adolescent demand itself. The wide variation in demand estimates (22-98%) and acknowledged measurement inconsistencies mean readers cannot confidently determine true adolescent demand levels across different contexts.
Abstract
An estimated 23 million adolescent girls age 15-19 in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have an unmet need for contraception. Despite the recognised importance of expanding access to appropriate methods of contraceptives for adolescents in LMICs, the evidence base on their total demand for contraception is limited, and there is no consensus on how to measure this important phenomenon. The aim of this study was to review the published literature in order to better understand the level of adolescent demand for contraception in LMICs and to explore what demand-related indicators are being measured. A total of 1375 articles were identified and 18 met the inclusion criteria. Included studies reported findings from 29 LMICs, revealing high adolescent demand for contraception. The demand for contraception among adolescents and young women ranged from 22% among married adolescents in Azerbaijan to 98% in Peru. However, measures of this phenomenon were limited, with most studies only reporting current contraceptive use or unmet need. Most studies relied on cross-sectional data, and young, unmarried, and male adolescents were largely excluded. We make several recommendations for alternative approaches for a more comprehensive understanding of adolescent demand for contraception in LMICs.