Paper
Navigating Pregnancy in Higher Education: Policy Analysis Aimed at Addressing Supportability and Antenatal Care for Pregnant University Students in South Africa.
presenters
Shabnam Shaik
Nationality: South Africa
Residence: South Africa
Rhodes University
Presence:Face to Face/ On Site
Keywords:
student pregnancy; reproductive justice; South Africa.
Abstract:
In South Africa, where the incidence of teenage and young adult pregnancies is increasing, the intersection of pregnancy and Higher Education presents unique challenges and necessitates targeted support mechanisms. Existing studies focus on factors leading to [unwanted/ unplanned] pregnancies and student motherhood. The actual period and supportability of student pregnancy is understudied. It is important to acknowledge that most university students come from disadvantaged backgrounds and low socio-economic households. This study explores the current state of pregnancy supportability and antenatal care for pregnant students at South African Universities with a focus on pregnancy and pregnancy related policy analysis. The study highlights the importance of accessible and comprehensive antenatal care, including medical services, nutritional support, and mental health resources tailored to the needs of student populations. Furthermore, it underscores the need for educational institutions to implement policies that foster a supportive environment, enabling pregnant students to continue their education without undue stress or interruption.
Such policies play a critical role in creating a supportive educational environment and should include provisions for flexible academic scheduling, maternity leave, accommodations for attending medical appointments, and awareness campaigns and training for faculty and staff to foster an inclusive and non-discriminatory atmosphere. Policies should not just serve the purpose of reducing/ removing liability of the university in the event of an unsupportable pregnancy. There are 26 public universities in South Africa and only 11 have policies which speak to student pregnancies in some way. Of these, 5 fall within residence policies and 6 are separate pregnancy policies at varying levels of comprehensiveness. The study applies a reproductive justice lens to investigate the effectiveness of existing policies on pregnancies at Universities in South Africa with the aim of improving pregnancy supportability and antenatal care for pregnant students.