Navigating unintended pregnancies in higher education: Cultural meanings, mental health, and academic experiences for female students in Zimbabwe
Abstract
Unintended pregnancy among female students in higher education poses a significant threat to educational trajectories and mental well-being in Zimbabwe, where female enrolment now exceeds that of males. Drawing on Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Ciurria's intersectional feminist framework, this study investigated how cultural stigma, mental health distress, and institutional gaps shape the academic experiences of female students with unintended pregnancies. Guided by three objectives—to explore the social enactment and internalization of cultural stigma; to examine how cultural stigma generates mental health distress that hinders academic engagement; and to investigate how academic disruptions and institutional gaps compound challenges. The study employed a qualitative case study design grounded in constructivism. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants: 10 female students aged 19-24 who experienced unintended pregnancies and 10 lecturers from higher education institutions in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. Four themes emerged: cultural meanings framing pregnancy as a moral transgression with gendered accountability; mental health distress, including fear and anxiety that impair concentration; academic disruptions, such as absenteeism and declining performance, compounded by stigma; and institutional gaps characterized by absent policies and staff guidance. Students relied on informal networks while institutions remained passive. The study concludes that cultural stigma, mental health distress, and institutional gaps intersect to profoundly shape academic experiences, necessitating gender-sensitive policies, staff training, and confidential support systems in Zimbabwean higher education.
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