Pregnancy Policy

The following policy concerns students who experience a pregnancy while living in campus housing. All students should be aware that confidential counseling is available both on and off-campus to support students who become pregnant.

Students who become pregnant should contact Health Services and Residence Life offices as soon as possible. The Health Services staff will refer the student (and the father if necessary) to the appropriate on/off-campus support to assure that the mother has a comprehensive prenatal care plan in place and the department has the most up-to-date contact and physician information in case of an emergency. It is Earlham’s goal is to help the pregnant student have a healthy, comfortable and supportive living environment throughout the pregnancy, if she wishes to continue at Earlham.

Pregnant students may continue taking classes and engage in all other community activities. If a student prefers to take a medical leave-of-absence with the intention of returning to campus after delivery of the baby, such leaves may be requested through the Office of Student Life.

For students who would prefer to remain enrolled in classes for the duration of the pregnancy, the student is eligible for an automatic exemption from on-campus housing. For those students who decide to keep the infant after the birth, it is important that the student make necessary arrangements for housing for the infant prior to delivery. Earlham’s facilities are limited to single-student housing and are unable to accommodate infants or children in residence.