Doctoral student-mothers face barriers and obstacles that impact their ability to persist and are less likely to achieve program completion than other students. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to discover the reasons student-mothers considered withdrawing from doctoral programs, the obstacles and challenges doctoral student-mothers encountered, and the factors doctoral student-mothers perceived as influential to their ability to persist. The problem was the challenges and obstacles encountered by doctoral student-mothers which led them to consider withdrawing from doctoral programs. The theoretical framework for this study was the attribution theory of achievement motivation and emotion. A qualitative generic approach was used to examine the experiences of 16 participants who parented a child during their doctoral study, considered withdrawing, and ultimately persisted to completion. Data collection methods included one qualitative open-ended survey and one focus group discussion with six participants. Data was analyzed using methods of reflexive thematic analysis and theoretical analysis. The findings revealed that participants experienced role conflict and multiple, sometimes unexpected, simultaneous challenges that led them to consider withdrawal. Participants attributed their ability to persist to perceived factors including supportive relationships and their personal qualities of goal orientation and achievement motivation. Nine themes were identified in the data: (a) circumstances beyond control; (b) competing priorities and demands; (c) fraught relationship with advisor or chair; (d) a tipping point at the confluence of multilayered challenges; (e) feelings of being overwhelmed and isolated; (f) faculty, advisor, chair or committee unsupportive or unavailable; (g) supportive relationships; (h) goal orientation and achievement motivation; and (i) program support and flexibility. The implications suggest the need for family members and educational institutions to better support doctoral student-mothers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]