The present paper explores early marriage as a risk factor explaining early childbearing and mistimed pregnancies. Data collected from an adolescent survey of 11,609 girls between the ages 12-19 years are analysed in conjunction with in-depth interviews (n-12) with adolescents living in three districts in South-Western Bangladesh. Life histories of girls who experienced an early pregnancy were explored to elucidate how high modern contraceptive use and replacement level fertility in the region coincided with high levels of unintended pregnancy.