Adolescent Pregnancy in Tv Programs: 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, and Teen Mom Og

16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, and Teen Mom OG all have one thing in common, and it is quite obvious and that is teen pregnancy. Teen pregnancy is a big deal and shows like this make a BIG realization before whoever gets pregnant. I think shows about teen pregnancy discourage teen pregnancy because it shows hardships, changes, and impact on teen parent mentally. Showing the REAL LIFE experience of teen parents and their daily lives can lessen teen pregnancy.

Teen Pregnancy can be reduced while watching 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, or Teen Mom OG; not saying someone should watch it, but it does show a lot of GREAT examples of hardships and goals. 16 and Pregnant do not show the "glamorous" side that some people (who haven't watched) say it has, it shows the ugly and hard times that these teens face or have faced. Some say teens nowadays think because of this show that it is cool and no biggie to be pregnant and/or to become a mother, which is completely wrong; do not get me wrong there are some teen girls that think its cool to be pregnant or want to become pregnant because of "baby fever". In 16 and Pregnant they showed the ugly side of pregnancy such as; morning sickness and all that comes with being pregnant and even the part where they tell their parents. 16 and Pregnant aren't just about being pregnant it's about the outcome and life during. Even shows how that person changed tremendously!

The teens in the show change and not a little change but a big change; they mature, become motherly and fatherly, and change their mindset that they had before or right after. During their pregnancy, the girls and sometimes baby daddy were rebellious, childish, unsupportive, and even negative but afterward they become nurturing, mature, supportive, and super positive. Catelynn and Tyler Baltierra were on season one of 16 and Pregnant and they started out as just 2 teenagers with nothing to live for except them and their future child; now they have gone on making a living, starting a family, making a live for themselves, and have gotten married. They started off just together for one thing just like Maci and Ryan, they kept dating and being together just because of the baby but that baby was a realization that they either loved each other or they didn’t. So a baby can cause huge and strenuous changes to a person’s life.

Catelynn didn't suffer from depression and anxiety as much before she had Carly and Nova she was just your average teen. After Nova, she started realizing that this child she loved dearly could possibly get "messed up" because of her. Someone that becomes a teen mom or teen dad can suffer from PSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), attachment issues, depression, and anxiety. Many of the teen parents on 16 and Pregnant have suffered at least one of these. Farrah Abraham suffered from PSD because her baby daddy that she genuinely loved died after he daughter Sofia was born, Catelynn suffered from anxiety and depression and the others have probably suffered many other things. Some were impacted in a way that their mindset changed entirely. Amber was a criminal now she is a nurturing mother and is getting married her daughter impacted her life physically and mentally. Shows like Teen Mom, 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom OG show how the child and experience impacts that person’s life and all the changes and daily lives.

Some people may argue that shows like this promote teen pregnancy by “glorifying” it by giving them a television show. Those people are the ones that do not watch it and only see the ads and commercials; they do not see the other side of it. I for one think that shows like 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, Teen Mom OG do not promote teen pregnancy. All because it is on TV doesn’t mean it will be “glorified” or made “glamorous”; it is just on TV to show what these teen faced and are facing and raises awareness. Although some say it promotes because they make a living and live off of being on TV and that may give teens ideas that they will become famous and rich if they become pregnant and tell MTV, but I’m pretty sure that most teenagers are not that dense and are knowledgeable of the facts and know it is a 1 in 100 chance of becoming a famous and rich teen mom. All in all, I think that shows like 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, Teen Mom OG are all discouraging of teen pregnancy and show awareness of teen pregnancy.