Unintended pregnancies are widespread in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and are a burden on women's health and their families, as well as on countries' health systems and social and economic development. The UN estimates that the number of women of reproductive age in the MENA region will exceed 120 million in 2010, with more than half between the ages of 15 and 29. A new analysis shows that unintended pregnancies in the MENA region are widespread across countries and across different socioeconomic groups within countries. This article was originally prepared for a presentation at the IUSSP International Population Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, in October 2009.