LEGAL RIGHTS
I want to know my rights as a pregnant student-athlete.
You can continue to participate and compete in your sport while pregnant. Talk to your health care provider to determine safety throughout your pregnancy, and work with your school's athletic staff to adapt training as needed. Contact Allay Resources team leader Beth Rahal if you need assistance communicating your rights to your coach and/or athletic trainers.
Here's what the NCAA says on this issue:
“Title IX guarantees equal educational opportunity to pregnant and parenting students. This means that student-athletes cannot be discriminated against in the event of their pregnancy, childbirth, conditions related to pregnancy, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or recovery there from, or parental or marital status; and they must be offered reinstatement to the same position after pregnancy as they held before the onset of pregnancy. Some actions that may be permissible under NCAA rules are impermissible under Title IX. Institutions should carefully monitor precedent regarding athletics financial aid renewal, access to athletics benefits and treatment issues. Student-athletes who are pregnant should be treated like any other student-athlete with a temporary disability. For example, if the institution regularly provides athletics aid, tutoring, athletics trainer and team physician support, insurance or access to assistance or opportunity funds to a student-athlete while he rehabilitates from an injury, the pregnant student-athlete should not be excluded from such benefits. Institutions should make sure student-athletes understand the law and institutional policy as part of the normal orientation or team meeting agenda.”
“What happens to your scholarship: As long as you are in good academic standing with the university and you do not voluntarily withdraw from your team, it is against federal law for us withdraw or reduce your financial aid in the event of your pregnancy, childbirth, conditions related to pregnancy, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, recovery from pregnancy, or parental or marital status during the term of the award. Federal law also requires us to grant you as much leave as is medically necessary and to renew your scholarship under certain circumstances. Finally, you should also know that NCAA bylaws allow a female student-athlete to apply for an additional year of eligibility if her athletic career is interrupted by pregnancy.”
SOURCE: NCAA, http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/PregnancyToolkit.pdf