School experiences and young women's pregnancy and parenthood decisions: A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research.

Schools are considered high-potential environments for promoting adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes among young women. Qualitative studies provide context and meaning to how school experiences and systems contribute to pregnancy and parenthood decisions from the perspectives of youth. This systematic review screened 24,711 references from 8 databases, yielding 28 qualitative studies. Included studies were assessed for quality and synthesised using meta-ethnographic approaches. Reciprocal translation revealed that young women's education and life trajectories were at least partially shaped by a commitment to school values and expectations for academic achievement, influenced by structural and relational factors within the school. These findings resonate with Markham and Aveyard's theory of human functioning and school organisation. Future policy and practices might seek to improve teacher-student interactions, leverage young women's developing autonomy, and ensure physically and psychologically safe spaces for students.