The sexual and reproductive health needs of the young remain a sensitive topic, with research gaps prevalent in this area, including understanding what interventions would be effective in supporting young people in making a successful transition into adulthood. The papers focus on countries in South and South-West Asia, East Asia and South-East Asia. The findings, among other things, show that there are various risk factors for unintended pregnancies, which include early marriage, low levels of education, limited awareness on the use of contraceptives, contraceptive failure, forced sex and limited agency of young women. Research findings reveal that to avoid unintended pregnancies, there is a need to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services for young women, including unmarried and recently married young women, whom services are currently least likely to reach.

Research also calls for the provision of comprehensive sexuality education to young people to increase knowledge about the availability of contraceptives, methods appropriate for the young, and their right to access these services and supplies. Finally, there is a need to sensitize and orient health-care providers, particularly frontline workers, about their role in providing services to the young, and overcome provider discomfort about serving the unmarried. Teachers also need to be sensitized to provide comprehensive sexuality education in an unbiased way. Adopting a rights-based approach with a focus on ending child marriage and empowering adolescent girls would also contribute to reducing unintended pregnancies among young women.