Supporting pregnant teens with compassion

Finding out you’re pregnant as a teenager leads to a whirlwind of emotions. As young people are trying to make sense of this life-changing event, the response from adults in their lives could either create more stress or provide support.

As school staff, you can set the tone for what happens in your school environment. Some pregnant and parenting teens report experiencing discrimination at school and these experiences can have long-lasting effects on the student and their child.

What do pregnant and parenting teens experience?

Pregnant and parenting teens report experiencing a variety of challenges as they work to complete their high school education. This includes difficulty with:

• Childcare.
• Transportation.
• A safe space at school for pumping and/or storing their breastmilk.
• Being allowed to make up work when school is missed (prenatally and postnatally).
• Teacher and staff interactions.
• Being excluded from school-sponsored activities.
• Unwanted sexual attention and harassment.
• Pressure to drop out.

What is the impact of their experience at school?

As a result of being in a school environment that is unsafe and unwelcoming, pregnant and parenting teens experience mental and physical health impacts. The discrimination they experience from peers and staff not only impacts their health, but the health of their child.

Research shows that the impact of increased stress on a pregnant person also affects the child. There is a very clear relationship between adverse experiences and mental, physical, and behavioral health outcomes. Fortunately, the research also teaches us how we can prevent and mitigate the impact of the experiences and promote flourishing.

What are their rights under the law?

Like other protected groups, pregnant and parenting teens have rights. Title IX, a federal civil rights law, prohibits discrimination on sex in education programs and activities applied to pregnant and parenting students. Title IX applies to all schools that receive federal funding, including charter schools and some private schools. In Pennsylvania, pregnant and parenting students are also protected under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA).

Together, these two laws provide pregnant and parenting students with protections such as:

• Pregnant and parenting students cannot be treated differently.
• Schools must address pregnancy or related harassment.
• Pregnant or parenting students cannot be pressured into attending classes in a separate portion of the school or an alternative education program.
• Schools cannot request medical certification prior to participation in school-sponsored activities.
• Lactating students are entitled to a clean, private space to pump milk.
• Schools must provide reasonable modifications for pregnancy-related needs.

What can school staff do?

Schools receiving federal funding must identify at least one Title IX coordinator. If that is not you, find out who that is for your school and become familiar with the rights and needs of your pregnant and parenting students. This includes any internal processes to approve modifications or report complaints and grievances.

If you are not already familiar with the PA Education Leading to Employment and Career Training (ELECT) program, be sure to check out the free resources and intensive case management services that are available to pregnant and parenting teens. Through ELECT, both parents can receive academic support and intensive, individualized case management to support them in achieving their educational and family goals.

As you do for many students already, when you witness any form of harassment or discrimination, hold others accountable and advocate for the safety and well-being of all students.

Finally, secondary pregnancy prevention is another way that you can support the long-term well-being of pregnant and parenting students. By connecting a student with a trusted, local healthcare provider, you can help them find the best tools for them to prevent a second pregnancy.  

Be sure to check out more of our blogs about relationships and visit our clinic locator where young people can access free, confidential healthcare.