TV Show '16 And Pregnant' Promote Or Discourage Teenage Pregnancy?

Reality shows that are based on teen pregnancy like 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom sheds light about the troubles on becoming a teen parent, finishing high school and struggling to buy the baby’s need and wants. Lately, these shows are stirring a debate if they are trying to support or avoid teen pregnancy. And this topic is important to the public, because it relates to the young community’s future. Young girls and boys can watch these shows and have different outlooks about having a child. Sometimes, glamorizing teen pregnancy on television might confuse the young community, because they can be fickle at times. They might think it is acceptable to be pregnant so young and others will consider waiting until marriage. Reality shows can either encourage or discourage teen pregnancy based on the individual’s mentality.

Teen pregnancy is a subject easily made into a reality show as it makes viewers feel morally superior—we are made to believe that young mothers are “unstable, weak and selfish” (Friedman) and that these women’s struggles are just the ‘consequences’ of their promiscuous behaviour. Shows like 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom aim to engage an audience by showing them what poor choices (i.e. sexual activity) and the events that follow these choices look like. They also attempt to be an example for young, impressionable viewers, constantly reiterating that teen pregnancy is “100% preventable”. However, the morals behind these TV shows seem to be partisan, intentionally failing to mention every side of the story. The reason that these reality shows are able to thrive is because they agree with the misogynistic moral perspectives held by

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 86 percent of mothers who give birth out-of-wedlock are teenagers. MTV’s show “16 & Pregnant,” which has only been on air since June 2009, is already reflecting the rapid boom in teenage pregnancy across various cities in America. Since the early eighties MTV has been considered somewhat of a cultural phenomenon for American adolescents and its depiction of gender has a strong impact that continues to this day (Holtzman 2000). Created by Morgan J. Freeman (director of teen shows Dawson’s Creek and Laguna Beach), the show “16 & Pregnant” has been said to be guilty of exacerbating, normalizing and even glorifying teen pregnancy. Perhaps, it’s just reflecting a current social dilemma

Teen pregnancy is a growing epidemic in the United States. Teen girls are becoming pregnant at an alarming rate, with a lot of the pregnancies planned. With television shows broadcasting shows such as “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom”, it is giving teenage girls the idea that it is alright to have premarital sex and become pregnant. It is in a way condoning teen pregnancy.

Popular media submits many teens to sexual content and influences their views on subjects such as teenage pregnancy. The article Evaluating the Impact of MTV’s 16 and Pregnant on Teen Viewers’ Attitudes About Teen Pregnancy takes a closer look at the relationship between the viewers of the show and their attitudes towards teen pregnancy. Three major weaknesses found after the review of the study are listed as follows; The study has several confounding variables, the sample group is rather small and taken from a single state within the US, and lastly, it makes claims without having sufficient evidence from its own findings as well as other studies. However, the way the study was conducted is relatively very

The Article “UA Researcher Finds Negative Impact of MTV Show ’16 and Pregnant’” proves that the show doesn’t have the impact it hoped to have. In the article there are two groups, one group of girls watched an episode of “16 and Pregnant” and the other an episode of “Made.” Aubrey, head researcher, states “Girls who watched ‘16 and Pregnant,’ when compared with the control group, reported a lower perception of their own risk, for pregnancy and a greater perception that the benefits of teen pregnancy outweigh the risks” (Harwood). MTV thought teens would see the hardship of the girls starred in “16 and Pregnant” but all they seen where the benefits of having a baby. The group of teens that seen “16 and Pregnant” didn’t care about how having a baby would change their

Magazine after magazine and tabloid after tabloid. There is something essentially wrong with the media business. The lines that differentiate news and vital information from dramatic, entertaining and fictionalized stories have been obscured, and are for all intents and purposes nonexistent on numerous fronts. Although teen pregnancy is at a two-decade low, teen pregnancy is not an issue that should be ignored. In an effort to reach teenage girls with messages about pregnancy and its consequences, MTV produced the documentary reality series 16 and Pregnant and later Teen Mom in an effort to communicate to teenage girls about pregnancy and its costs. But, despite MTV's hard work, Teen Mom has inspired controversy. While the show has won acclaim within the entertainment community, some viewers and critics think that MTV is glamorizing teen pregnancy and encourages girls to become pregnant hence the documentation of their lives that include rumors, drugs, and, of course,

An ongoing epidemic in the United Sates is teen pregnancy. In America, our society is run down by many problems. Most are caused by the older generation, but this problem has risen with the younger generation around the age of 15-19. The peak of the teen pregnancy trend started in 1990 when 60 teen girls out of 1,000 had a teen birth ("About Teen Pregnancy.”). For every 1,000 females in 2013, on average only 27 out of the 1,000 had gone through teen birth ("About Teen Pregnancy.”). Over the years, it seems that the trend is winding down and that less and less teens appear to becoming pregnant. In 2013, the teen pregnancy rate decreased by 10% since 2012 and 57% 1990 ("Teen Birth Rate | The National Campaign.”).

Do you believe shows like ‘ 16 & Pregnant ‘ and ‘ Teen Mom ‘ glamorize teen pregnancy ? Or do you think they present a cautionary tale ? Studies began to show that in fact they don't glamorize it , yet they caused teenage pregnancy to decrease . Also teenage mothers have been showed as abused or in jail . Also some of these mothers haven't even finished school .

Research article authors Nicole Martins and Robin E. Jensen, intended to study the relationship between MTV’s series “Teen Mom” reality show and teenagers’ unrealistic beliefs about what is like to be a teen mom. The seven motivations for asking “why” are used to convince the audience that it is worthy of research by exploring the relationship with the intentions to discredit the previous findings that state, “Teen Mom” and “16 and Pregnant” is one of the best public service campaign to prevent teen pregnancy. This topic presents a number of complications in the lives of both induvial and societal as a whole; providing evidence to answer the readers question on why this topic is of importance and worthy of research. Yearly, $7 billion are taxed to all U.S citizens for welfare and healthcare relating to teen pregnancy, driving the United States to the top as the highest rated country with teen pregnancy. Consequently, almost half of teen mothers are unable to receive a high school diploma; leading to lower occupation income for both fathers and mothers. I myself have personally witnessed the toll it takes on one’s life from three women who became mothers at a young age. Many teens are unaware of the high risks and consequences of becoming pregnant or are in denial of the possibility. Being able to be a part of their journey has increased my belief of the importance on this topic and related research.

“MTV executives deny it, but when their young subjects vie for space with J-Lo and Jolie on the covers of People and Us Magazine, it's hard to say the shows aren't glamorizing teen motherhood”(Vlahos) Television providers are contradicting the cause via magazines. We are now constantly seeing the stars of popular shows such as 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom appearing constantly in the media. The number one example of glamorization of teen pregnancy is magazines. ‘“16 and Pregnant was originally designed by MTV to show viewers (mostly young women) what life as a pregnant teen was really like. Every time the show airs, MTV promotes a website called StayTeen.org that “encourage[s] you to enjoy your teen years and avoid the responsibilities

“A study conducted by Professors Melissa Kearney of the University of Maryland and Phillip Levine of Wellesley College released early this year, finds that the MTV “Teen Mom” franchise did far more good than harm. Using data from Google Trends, Twitter, Nielsen ratings and Vital Statistics birth data, Professors Kearney and Levine found that teens who watch “16 and Pregnant” immediately go online to search for (and tweet about) birth control and abortion.” Thus shows that teens are scared and want to take precautions about this serious topic. These teens take this show serious and don't take

The MTV show “16 and Pregnant” and their spin-offs such as “Teen Mom” and “Teen Mom 2”, it was started in 2009 and is still airing new episodes. The program shows teenage girls dealing with the repercussions of being pregnant while in high school and after delivering their baby. MTV follows around several teenagers in their everyday life, whether it is dealing with the father of the child or their family and friends. Furthermore, after an episode airs the show promotes a website named Stayteen.org, it is meant to educate teens on sexual health, give advice and promote teens to stay teens. Stayteen.org believes that “The more you know about issues like sex, relationships, abstinence, and birth control, the better prepared you’ll be to make informed choices for

Teen moms regularly glamorize teenage pregnancy than what it really is, in actuality, and not simply truly TV. With the media making famous people out of the high schoolers has made the show harming to the center gathering of people. The shows have impacted American young ladies, spreading the message that it's OK to get pregnant on the grounds that MTV may support it. (One “Teen Mom” star stated in court that she makes $140,000 per season, not including endorsements and appearances). "As the rate of teenage pregnancy rises, it seems to me that the attitude about it is more relaxed and sadly, it is seen as desirable" (Villanueva 2010).

Suffice to say, the rising American teen birth rate in 2006 is something of an eye-opener. Between 1991 and 2005, the United States saw a 34 per cent decrease in the birth rate among those aged 15 to 19. But in 2006, that relatively steady decline was reversed. Suddenly, among 15- to 17-year-olds, the rate was up three per cent to 22 babies per 1,000 females, and 18- and 19-year-olds jumped four per cent to 73 births for every 1,000. "That took us by surprise," admits Stephanie J. Ventura, head of the reproductive statistics branch at NCHS. And the rise was spread over almost every ethnic group except for Asians; births among black, native, Hispanic and white teenagers rose. While no specific data was collected on the income of teen mothers, Albert says that with three in 10 girls getting pregnant by age 20, "you realize this is not [just] 'poor folk.' The problem is spread wide."