Introduction: Early pregnancy among adolescents in school has several consequences on the adolescent herself, her family, the whole community, and the child-to-be. This article explores the factors determining early pregnancy among 15-19-year-old secondary school students in Koudougou in Burkina Faso. Methods: A descriptive and exploratory qualitative study was conducted through focus groups with adolescents and youth in schools and individual interviews with parents, teachers, health workers, and community leaders. The socio-ecological model guided all stages of the study. A thematic analysis of the recorded and transcribed data was conducted using Nvivo 12 software. Results: A lack of knowledge and information and wrong perceptions about sexuality at the individual level; peer pressure and poverty at the interpersonal level; lack of awareness among teachers and students and health workers' attitudes at the organizational level; the influence of new information technologies or the media and parents' irresponsibility at the community level; and the insufficient of sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents as well as the lack of sanctions and law against early pregnancy at the political level were found as enablers. Barriers were the use of contraceptive methods and sexual abstinence; parents-children communication; teachers' training on sexual sensitization; the creation of youth centers on school campuses and the introduction of sexual education courses; education through media and religion; willingness to introduce sexual education courses in school curricula and legal sanctioning of dealing and consuming drugs in schools. Conclusion: The study highlighted that the problem of early pregnancy in schools can be solved by implementing preventive strategies by acting on the determinants at all levels of the socioecological model. Keywords: early pregnancy, adolescents, enablers, barriers, secondary schools

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study did not receive any funding

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

Ethical approval was obtained from the Burkina Faso Health Research Ethics Committee (CERS); number: 2021-12-288.

I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.

Yes

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

Yes

I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.

Yes

All data produced in the present work are contained in the manuscript