From ‘Pen Sao’ to ‘Tue Pa’: Understanding diverse pathways to adolescent pregnancy in Lao People’s Democratic Republic through qualitative investigation with girls in Vientiane Capital, Vientiane Province, and Luang Namtha

Adolescent birth rates in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) remain the highest in Southeast Asia. There is growing recognition that adolescent pregnancy in Lao PDR is occurring within and outside marriage, but there is a lack of robust qualitative evidence to understand girls' pathways to adolescent pregnancy and contributing factors, especially outside of union (cohabitation or marriage).