The Educational Trajectories of Pregnant Adolescents in South Africa

Susan M. Lee-Rife, University of Michigan

South Africa has one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy in the world. More than 35 percent of South African adolescents became pregnant before the age of 20 and more than 30 percent have given birth at least once. Because of particular cultural features in South Africa, including the widespread acceptance of adolescent pregnancy and the willingness of family members to provide childcare, adolescent pregnancy may not confer the same negative consequences in South Africa as it may elsewhere. Using 2002 data, this study examines associations between adolescent pregnancy and educational attainment among South African adolescents to determine whether adolescent mothers are at a disadvantage compared to other adolescents, with particular attention to year-by-year educational activity. It will also investigate which girls return to school after giving birth to learn more about what structural barriers might exist for girls wanting to return to school after a birth.