Keywords
academic success
motherhood
higher education
health education
How to Cite
Abstract
Academic success in higher education results from the dynamic interaction of individual, pedagogical and academic, social, and health related factors. Among these factors, parenthood has gained increasing relevance, reflecting the diversification of student profiles. This study aimed to analyze how motherhood influences academic success in higher education, framing the issue within the field of Health Education and Maternal and Child Health. A quantitative study of descriptive and correlational nature, with cross sectional design, was conducted using an online questionnaire applied to 104 students from ISCIA, Instituto Superior de Ciências da Informação e da Administração. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical procedures, including frequency and percentage analysis. The results indicate that parenthood is perceived as a stress enhancing factor, generated by difficulties in meeting academic deadlines and an increased need for institutional flexibility. However, most participants believe that students with children can achieve academic success levels comparable to those of students without children, provided adequate support conditions are in place. It is concluded that motherhood influences the academic trajectory, not as a deterministic factor of failure, but as a condition that requires more inclusive institutional responses and strategies to promote health and well-being in higher education.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Inês Tavares Barbosa, Lara Filipa Oliveira Vela, Patrícia Tavares Santos Silva, Hugo Miguel Carvalho (Author)