Multifaceted Challenges and Adaptive Coping Strategies Among Pregnant University Students in Tanzania: Empirical Evidence for Institutional Policy Reform

Abstract

Pregnancy among university students in sub-Saharan Africa remains an underaddressed crisis, threatening educational equity, mental health, and academic retention. This study examined the academic, personal, social, emotional, and financial challenges faced by pregnant students, their coping strategies, and the adequacy of university support systems in public universities in Morogoro region, Tanzania. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed, using structured questionnaires administered to 222 pregnant or recently pregnant students selected via purposive sampling. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis tests, ordinal logistic regression, and chi-square tests. Results revealed that 60.4% of participants were aged 18–24 years, 49.6% were in their first year of study, 61.7% were unmarried, and 76.2% reported a monthly income below 60 USD. Academic challenges were severe: 72.9% reported difficulty attending lectures and meeting deadlines, and 64.9% had considered dropping out or taking a study break. Personal challenges were dominated by time management difficulties, with older students and those who already had children reporting significantly greater burdens (p < 0.001). Social and emotional challenges were pervasive, with 83.8% experiencing stigma from peers or lecturers and 71.6% reporting emotional distress. Coping strategies centered on peer support (76.1%), time management (52.2%), and health prioritization (48.2%). Although 71.6% received some staff support, institutional responses remained fragmented: only 49.6% received academic accommodations and 31.5% accessed health or counseling services. Students demanded flexible academic timetables (60.4%), enhanced maternity support (31.1%), and stigma-reduction awareness programs (9.5%). Empirically, this study provides the first ordinal logistic regression-based evidence from Tanzania linking demographic vulnerabilities (young age, first-year status, pre-existing children) to higher academic and personal challenge scores. Policy contributions include a clear mandate for universities to move beyond passive support toward enforceable flexible scheduling, on-campus maternal health services, and anti-stigma campaigns. We recommend that Tanzania’s Ministry of Education mandate pregnancy-inclusive academic policies, establish campus-based childcare and counseling, and integrate awareness training for lecturers and peers to foster retention, well-being, and educational justice for pregnant students.