Unwanted fertility presents a formidable challenge in developing countries, impacting various societal dimensions profoundly. It jeopardizes maternal and child health by heightening risks of maternal mortality, unsafe abortions, and adverse outcomes for unintended pregnancies. Additionally, it hampers socioeconomic progress by perpetuating poverty cycles and hindering women's educational and economic opportunities. Moreover, unwanted fertility influences demographic shifts, contributing to population growth and altering age structures. This review critically analyses the extensive literature on unwanted fertility dynamics in developing countries particularly in India, exploring determinants, consequences, and interventions. Sociocultural factors, including gender norms and religious beliefs, significantly shape fertility preferences and contraceptive behaviours. Economic constraints like poverty and limited healthcare access exacerbate the risk of unintended pregnancies. Policy environments, particularly family planning services' availability, play crucial roles in shaping fertility outcomes. Synthesizing existing research, this review identifies gaps necessitating further exploration, emphasizing the intersectionality of factors like migration and urbanization. It emphasise the need for interdisciplinary approaches and rigorous methodologies to comprehend unwanted fertility complexities fully. Ultimately, it offers insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers aiming to develop evidence-based interventions for sustainable development in developing countries.

Unwanted fertility, maternal and child health, socioeconomic progress, demographic shifts, sociocultural factors, policy interventions