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Why this week's finale of MTV's 16 and Pregnant: Life After Labor should be the start of the network's look at the realities of teen motherhood, not the end.
Every Thursday night for the last six weeks, MTV has introduced us to another teen girl who is 16 and Pregnant.
They are six of the more than 450,000 teens who give birth on average each year. The trend of teen motherhood is on a scary upward tick, with the rate rising 5 percent between 2005 and 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
So does 16 and Pregnant work to help reverse that trend, or make young motherhood seem trendy and glamorous? It does a little bit of both. The show does have a "scared straight" edge to it. Pregnant teen Farrah is the subject of gossip and ridicule and nearly brought to tears as her friends prepare for a night out while her newborn sleeps in the nearby crib. Maci has to give up dance team because her fiance is unreliable for childcare and her mother has been shouldering too much of its burden. Amber shows that labor is long, hard and painful.
The Appeal of Pregnancy
But to a 16-year-old's eyes, especially one whose home life isn't easy to begin with, these girls' lives could look pretty appealing. "There's a lot of emphasis on how 'cool' it is to have your own place and be moving in with your boyfriend," says Corinne A. Gregory of Bellevue, WA, mother of teen and tween-aged daughters and founder of Social Smarts, a social skills program for adolescents. "Lots of scenes depict teens showing off their new places to their friends. Even if you intersperse that with 'reality' scenes, what are the predominant images a viewer will take away from the program?" The show omits many of the stone-cold facts about teen pregnancy. A teen mom is at higher risk of preterm birth and her baby at greater risk of low birth weight and infant death. Those babies are more likely to suffer health problems, score lower in math and reading than their peers, be victims of abuse and neglect, be placed into foster care and repeat the cycle by becoming teen parents themselves, according to the CDC.
Why to Watch
Nonetheless, many teens say that the show opened their eyes to how hard teen parenthood is. "It definitely made me think twice about having a child so young," says Tyesha Wilson, 17, of Freeport, IL. "What surprised me most was the lack of freedom that the teen parents had and how differently people treat you after having a child." There are parents who encourage their children to watch. "The show definitely leads to conversations that we wouldn't otherwise have, usually about overall life skills, basic cause and effect, and the massive, seemingly overwhelming amount of responsibility of being a parent," says Lisa Hodges of Austin, TX, who watches with her 11-year-old daughter. "I think the show definitely makes these conversations easier."
Some teens did raise an eyebrow over how "real" this reality show is. On the program, the soon-to-be grandparents seem perturbed at best when informed of the pregnancies. They laugh as they recall how their teens' broke the news to them. "My parents would not be relaxed," says 16-year-old Rebeca Frey of New York City, who watches the show. "They'd be pretty disappointed and angry."
Adopting a New Life
There is one episode, featuring Catelynn and Tyler, which does better than all the others at conveying the awesome responsibility that comes with parenthood. The teens both come from dysfunctional families and realize that they love their baby too much to allow her to grow up repeating that experience. They choose to put the baby up for adoption.
Marc Andreas, vice president of marketing and communications for Bethany Christian Services, which handled the adoption, says that they received a "sizeable" number of phone calls and Web site visits after the particular episode aired. "There are so many myths about adoption," Andreas says. "So many times you hear, 'I couldn't carry a baby nine months and give it away.' And no, it's not easy. But Catelynn and Tyler do it. The reality is it can be done and it's a beautiful thing all around even though it's challenging. I think MTV did an outstanding job."
Catelynn and Tyler's story sparked discussion and praise on iVillage's popular adoption message boards. "I watched and cried the entire time," wrote danielledjg. "Everyone thinking of adopting should watch that episode. I was so proud of that young couple. I just wanted to hug them both. It brought back so many memories of walking into the hospital to meet our [birth mother] and then later saying goodbye to her." (Click here to join the iVillage discussion.)
Will these heart-wrenching stories discourage teens from getting pregnant in the first place? Perhaps some couples will think twice. But to really be effective, the show should offer more explanation of the lifelong consequences these girls and their children will face. To its credit, MTV's Web site does offer lots of information about pregnancy and STD prevention. And the show's season finale, 16 and Pregnant: Life After Labor, which airs Thursday, July 23, will feature an update of all six girls' stories. However, the follow-up shouldn't end there. The program should continue checking in with them over the next couple of years, or find teen moms who are now in their 20s who can give much-needed perspective. These young women don't just need to see what it's like to be 16 and opening adorable baby shower gifts. How about a spin-off called 19 with a Toddler, where midnight feedings look easy compared to keeping your cool during a temper tantrum? Now that would be a reality show.
--Cynthia Ramnarace
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I came across this article as I was searching for something else in Google but I do love that I did come across it. I had my son when I was 18 years old, I am now 20 and I think is funny how "stereotypical" this article is. To me it sounds like your saying every teenage Mom won't make it in life or they all live a lower class life. I am from Canada and our MTV has only aired one of the 6 episodes you mentioned but I loved the one I saw. It shows how we get ridiculed and tormented at school, how scary we feel not knowing who to go to, and how to deal with our sudden new life path. I went to summer school 8 months pregnant just to make sure I got my diploma for the sake of my baby let alone me. I do agree(partially) with more of us being in poverty situations but there are a few who do grow up and do make it and I was one of those. I feel the pressure and live under the stereotype of being a "single mom" every day...It was a blessing when I turned 20 just so when people asked me how old I was I could say I wasn't "nine TEEN" anymore. I have met other young Moms who did not choose to grow up and I wish they decided not to have a child because the child does not deserve that. It is a choice when you become pregnant..you either stay your immature teen self and give your child a crappy life or you grow up and be the best Mom you can like I did. I think people should give us a lot more respect for what we do everyday...we chose not to murder our children...I made a choice and that choice lead me to be pregnant and I chose to deal with the consequences of my choice...I grew up...I never got to live the young persons life style, I have been single since I found out I was pregnant and really think I will never find that special someone...But I wouldn't change it for the world. I am a Mom to the most incredible little boy and I can't picture a day without him in my life. So please everyone, when you see a single mom or a young mom whether shes single or not...please do not judge her..unless she is clearly not a good mom..because she is trying her best and she loves her child/ren as much as any other Mom of any age loves theirs.
My goodness i can really relate to this because I got pregnant in an early age. i was 19 back then. Teenage pregnancy is really very rampant worldwide and the number of teens having unwanted pregnancies increase every year. Very alarming indeed.
I agree that MTV is glorifying these girls lives, the only one that REALLY made it look like being 16 and pregnant is the ROTC girl that lost everything! her dream of being in the air force and she even didn't to graduate high school because the father of the child didn't come home to watch the baby so she could go to school at night and instead went to party with his friends. The other girls "appeared" to have it really easy during the pregnancy, getting everything the baby needs, and afterwards. I was 19 when my daughter was born, I was already out on my own with a full time job (I graduated at 17) and I didn't have it as easy as at least 5 of the girls had it at 16 with their upscale lives. Maybe if they put some teens on there at live in the LOWER part of the money scale, like the ones that DO need help from the government and can't afford diapers and formula and mommy and daddy won't buy it. The teens that get kicked out because they are pregnant. Maybe that will be a dose of reality for this show and for teens now a days. The show "Baby Borrowers", where teens who WANTED kids now had to be "married", "pregnant", and then moms to all different age groups and then had to take care of the elderly. Now that show REALLY gave a wake up call to those teens and I believed it in the difficulties because mommy and daddy were not there to make it all better.
I strongly disagree that MTV made the girls' lives "glamorous". Each episode showed a struggle in their lives. Maci not having support from her boyfriend, which during pregnancy, is a major thing. Farrah having to be the "single mom" and not enjoy time with friends or get along with her mom. Amber having a dumb boyfriend and broke. Ebony, giving up her dreams of the Air Force and dropping out of high school because of her immature boyfriend. Whitney having a crowded home and no money. And of course Catelynn, who gave her child up for adoption for a better life.
I AM 16 and pregnant as well, life during pregnancy is a struggle, no matter what, age doesn't make situations easier. The only difference between a sixteen year old and a thirty year old being pregnant is that nobody looks in surprise and judges the thirty year old. Just becuase i'm 16 and expecting does NOT mean my life is completely over. I see it as just being a "curve in the road". I'm going to be a junior in high school this coming year and YES, i'm going to finish high school. Afterwards i still plan on attending my dream university and get my masters. My boyfriend is 18, working, and going to be attending college this fall. He couldn't be anymore supporting, without him, i wouldn't be so positive and encouraged.
Even if the girls in the show looked like they had it all, its more than just that. Being pregnant makes everything different. Your life, your partner's, your body, and your emotions.
Kids are too busy trying to be adults! They should enjoy being "kids" while they can....it only lasts for a very short amount of time.
I am not a teen mom but to me this show is really depressing. Maybe because I am not a teen and know what I would have given up if I had become pregnant as a teen. I don't know how anyone could watch this and find it glamorous but maybe I just think this because as a parent of 2 children I know the reality. I feel bad for girls who get pregnant as teenagers, not only do they have to deal with what all mothers do but they are also judged for it. I visit truuconfessions.com and there are a number of teen mom's who post about this.