Whether becoming a mother by choice or by accident, you and your studies are protected by educational institution.

Carrying a child is a great responsibility for a woman. As a great responsibility, it comes with great pressure.

The decays of memory and cognitive sharpness during pregnancy are terrifying. According to Helen Christensen of the Australian National University, pregnancy brains do exist. This is often called “momnesia.” It’s a fact that women show deficits in memory during their pregnancy.

This is often caused by tiredness, hormones and pressure that make a pregnant mom store memories poorly. With this in mind, what can we do to help pregnant Cougs deal with their exams? Good mental health is important for physical health, especially for pregnant women.

A 23-year-old pregnant Coug says she keeps a positive attitude by managing her time well.

“I have two breaks. I try to do homework during each break, which is less than one hour,” said [year], human development major Hamsah Telmisani. “I am doing homework and cooking at the same time. In order not to burn the food, I always set timers.”

Telmisani is having her second child. She has learned to balance both school and family and maintains a healthy schedule from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

If you are a pregnant Coug, make sure to get enough sleep and keep a serene attitude. Any time you feel unstable, WSU counselors in the Washington Building are available to help. Just walk in on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or Wednesday from 1-3:30 p.m.

Getting schoolwork done can be harder for pregnant students. Students can get additional help for their schoolwork at the WSU tutoring center.

“We create a healthy campus culture where there should be no shame about pregnancy,” said Melissa Parkhurst, a music professor and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies affiliate faculty member.

How about the delivery pain and morning drowsiness?

There is no scientific solution to these problems. However, professors, department administrators and the WSU Access Center may be able to help. As we always say at WSU, “Cougs help Cougs.”

Telmisani recalled when the labor pain hit her while she was doing a test. She ended up with a low score. The professor couldn’t do anything about it since he had to ensure equality for other students.

“I went to the WSU Access Center and submitted my doctor’s document,” she said. “They said I can have extra time to do the tests since.”

Another problem a pregnant student has is blood sugar control. Parkhurst said bringing an energizing snack is a great idea.

However, pregnant Cougs can’t always prevent being absent at school for medical services. They also can’t know how their bodies will respond in certain situations. Nonetheless, communication can make it so that they have the same opportunities as a student who isn’t pregnant. At the end of the day, everyone should get equal protection and treatment.

“I think women are born to be mothers,” Telmisani said. “Being a woman or a mother will not affect my life.”