Before NCAA officials made several policy adjustments last month, the nearly 500-page Division I manual did not explain how female student-athletes who become pregnant during the regular season should be treated by their athletic programs or how their athletic scholarships could be affected.

A May 2007 ESPN report — revealing seven current and former Clemson University track athletes had abortions, fearing they would lose their scholarships due to a team agreement they had signed — forced the the NCAA to reconsider its stance on athletic scholarships for pregnant athletes.

On Jan. 14, the National Collegiate Athletics Association Division I Board of Directors approved an amendment that states an athletic scholarship can not be reduced or canceled during the period of its award because of injury, illness or medical condition — including mononucleosis, depression, pregnancy and eating disorders.

“This policy makes it harder for someone to be cut off from athletic aid mid-year,” Senior Associate Director of Boston University Athletics Nancy Lyons said. “After the athlete gives birth is the right time to determine whether or not to renew a scholarship. Part of it is keeping a good line of communication between the doctor, athlete and coach.”

The new legislation will affect female athletes, including those at BU, a DI institution, starting Aug. 1.

“I can see why [pregnancy] is put in the same category as medical issues,” Women’s soccer coach Nancy Feldman said. “With an injury, the athlete is medically excused, and her athletic aid package should be protected. Pregnancy is a little different in that you can say the athlete made a choice, but it probably wasn’t a conscious choice.”

Prior to the legislation, schools had jurisdiction over scholarships for female athletes who became pregnant. All member institutions can approve a one-year extension of the five-year period of eligibility for a female student-athlete if they become pregnant, according to the NCAA DI manual.

The manual currently does not contain a by-law prohibiting pregnant women from playing.

“In my experience, pregnancy has always been treated as a confidential medical condition,” Lyons said.

Athletic scholarships are reviewed each year, but it is very rare for a student to lose the scholarship or receive a reduced amount, and athletes are allowed to appeal any decision regarding renewal, Lyons said.

College of Communication junior Shannon Mullen, a varsity soccer player, said she thought the policy change was a wise decision.

“I applaud the NCAA for recognizing that these issues do occur and for creating a nationalized policy,” she said. “It’s a personal, complex decision for a female. [The new policy] certainly makes it easier for an athlete to think about what is best for her beyond her athletic career without adding monetary pressure to an already stressful situation.”

Mullen also said it is important for athletes to take care of their bodies because their ability to play pays for their college education.

“My participation on a team is lot like a job, and it is my responsibility to take care of myself and take the necessary precautions,” Mullen said.

The BU Athletics Department holds monthly meetings for student athletes that cover a wide range of issues from nutrition to alcohol abuse, but Mullen said pregnancy has not been discussed.

“It’s a sensitive issue, and I think they feel it’s a boundary that shouldn’t be crossed or lectured on,” she said.