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The MTV way of learning about safe sex

“Is '16 and Pregnant' an Effective Form of Birth Control?”

Last week, NPR reported on groundbreaking study that sought to examine whether the MTV show, 16 and Pregnant, could explain the drop in teen birth rates. The results are astonishing…

First, let’s talk about teen motherhood. Teenage motherhood has a long history in the USA. The issue emerged from social invisibility during the 1950s and early 1960s, when rates of childbearing among teens reached historical peaks, and rose to a level of public obsession. In the 1960’s, marriage and childbearing had been tightly linked. Research documents the high rates of pre-marital  pregnancies. In agricultural community, women often became pregnant in the anticipation that their partners would marry them, also known as “shotgun weddings” It is important to highlight that shotgun weddings occurred do to necessity, not desire. These pictures illustrated this difference.

Our view over the need to get married due to pregnancy has changed since those days. Whereas some societies maintain the need to get married, even if the pregnancy is unexpected and undesired, overall, the mentality and sentiment has changed and the data has reflected this change as the teen birth rate has been dropping.  For example, the chart below demonstrates the birth rates in the US and California.

However, why? Why has the teen rate been dropping so dramatically, so fast? 

Is it:

a) the increase in sex education taught in schools?
b) the increase in the access of birth control?
c) teenagers just being smarter?

(Hint: try d) none of the above)

Some people associate the decrease in teenage pregnancy through effective print ads , such as the poster shown below.

However,  the research suggest that modern MTV’s show “16 and Pregnant” might be having a more influential effect on the teen birth rates. It follows the lives of teenage mothers, and the reality that they are faced with in their choice of parenting.

The show is realistic, and highlight the difficult choices teenage mother might have to make-

 like living with unsupported in laws ...

In this scene, Allie has to move in with the her boyfriend's parents - who are not supportive of the situation. The mother sits at the table and says “Have you thought adoption or abortion?” “ I met [Allie]one day, and the next day she was pregnant” , “I was like, oh no, what the heck is wrong with Joey ( her son)”. The father adds that this situation, " sucks”. 

Even Allie, the pregnant teen says  "Joey and I spend lots of time wishing we had other options”.

-having financial issues , a flacky partner 

In this scene, Alex discovers the price of being a teen mom. At 7 months, she walks a mile to her minimum wage job. She has a "flacky" boyfriend who is not very committed. 

It seems like MTV, through this show, is maybe doing a public service by showing the true face of teen mother's.There is no moralistic judgment--the show "show it as it is". There is no glamour. 

According to this study, teenagers are reacting to the show via explicit tweets. Live reactions such as " 16 and pregnant reminds me to take my birth control", demonstrates the effect of the show on the teenage audience. Viewers are empathetic to the teens on TV, but also realize that teen motherhood is not for them.

Google Trends show that a spike in searches about birth control use and access the day that an episode airs and the next day.

This chart demonstrates when people where talking about the show- aka the "buzz".  This is the type of data that the researchers used.

Google trends about " 16 and pregnant" TV show

 By combining birthrate data in the US, Nielsen rating data (to see who is watching), Tweets about the show, and Google trends, the study attributes a third of the overall decrease in teen birth rates in the 18 months period that the show was on, directly to the show. 

That is a big deal.  

Not only does it demonstrates the motivating factors behind searching for birth control, or the fact that the views need to be SEARCHING for the information ( meaning they do not know about it to start off with), but also it highlights the important point that teens are indeed influenced by what they see on TV (whether teen mothers or violence). What teenagers are watching can make a really big difference in what they think,  and ultimately, how they behave and make really important life decisions.

This article is more than just about teenage pregnancy or even the influence that reality TV has on personal decisions. This article also demonstrates a new way to learn about sex education- online, in real time, and publicly.  I wonder if this has to do with the decrease in the education of safe sex and birth control in schools. According to the Huff Post, 60% of young adults are misinformed about birth control effectiveness. This is a very big percentage.

I could not find MTV's response to the study. However, if I was the producer and I was asked to comment on the study I would be happy, and perhaps reply "We are just doing a PSA- reality TV style". 

Sources: 

http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/2011/11/shotgun-wedding.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2227030/I-did-miscarry-I-chose-abortion-16-Pregnant-star-Jamie-McKay-makes-shocking-confession-Twitter.html

http://kimkardashian.celebuzz.com/2011/01/19/kim-kardashian-teen-mom-teenage-pregnancy-young-girls/

http://www.mtv.com/shows/16_and_pregnant/season_4/series.jhtml

http://www.npr.org/2014/01/13/262175399/is-16-and-pregnant-an-effective-form-of-birth-control