Discussion
The main aim of this review was to identify and summarize the key risk and protective factors that are associated with adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes in developing countries. Most likely because of the HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic, countries in Sub- Saharan Africa are the most studied when it comes to adolescent sexual and reproductive outcomes. Among the 222 studies included in the review, nearly 60% were from Sub-Saharan Africa. Also interesting was that most studies focused on exploring the correlates related to condom use and sexual initiation. Significant gaps in the literature relate to abortion; although there has been an increase over the past decade in studies related to sexual coercion among adolescents, only a limited research base remains. This gap is particularly disturbing, given that nearly 14% of all unsafe abortions in developing countries are among women under age 20 years [64], and in some international settings, up to one third of adolescent women report forced sexual initiation [65].