The contribution of qualitative research to the development of public health policy is increasingly recognised, with systematic reviews established as the methodology of choice for mapping and assessing evidence. Identifying research gaps is an essential part of the review process, and is integral to developing a sound evidence base for policy. The paper reports on a planned systematic review of qualitative research on teenage mothers and smoking terminated because of such a gap, The review raises questions about the narrow range of evidence on which smoking cessation interventions for this disadvantaged group are based, with the paucity of information on young mothers' experiences potentially limiting the development of effective smoking cessation interventions for teenage mothers. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.