16 and Pregnant
| 16 and Pregnant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Reality |
| Created by | Lauren Dolgen |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 61 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Camera setup | Multiple |
| Running time | 43 to 50 minutes |
| Production company | 11th Street Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | MTV |
| Release | June 11, 2009 – present |
| Related | |
16 and Pregnant is an American reality television series that debuted June 11, 2009, on MTV.[1] It follows the stories of pregnant teenage girls in high school dealing with the hardships of teenage pregnancy. Each episode features a different teenage girl, with the episode typically beginning when she is 4+1⁄2 – 8 months into her pregnancy. The episode typically ends when the baby is a few months old. The series is produced in a documentary format, with an animation on notebook paper showing highlights during each episode preceding the commercial breaks. 16 and Pregnant has spawned three spin-off series: Teen Mom, Teen Mom 2 and Teen Mom 3. Each series follows the lives of four girls from their respective season of 16 and Pregnant as they navigate their first years of motherhood.[2]
The fifth season premiered on April 14, 2014.[3] The show was renewed for a sixth season on January 12, 2015.[4]
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 6 | June 11, 2009 | July 16, 2009 | |
| 2 | 19 | February 16, 2010 | December 21, 2010 | |
| 3 | 10 | April 19, 2011 | June 21, 2011 | |
| 4 | 12 | March 27, 2012 | May 29, 2012 | |
| 5 | 12 | April 14, 2014 | July 28, 2014 | |
| 6 | 11 | October 6, 2020 | April 13, 2021 | |
Reception and impact
Based on a preview of the show's first three episodes, The New York Times called the series a "documentary-style series about real-life Junos who are not scoring in the 99th percentile on the verbal portion of their SATs... despite its showcasing of the grim, hard work of single mothering."[5]
In 2011, the Social Security Administration reported that the names of one of the featured mothers and her son ("Maci" and "Bentley") were the names that saw the greatest increase in frequency over the past year.[6]
While there is still debate on whether or not the show "glamorizes teen pregnancy," the intended goal of the show was to bring attention to what teen pregnancy is really like and promote the practice of safe sex. A study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests a correlation between the premiere of the show in 2009 and a 5.7% decrease in teen births in the 18 months following the premiere. It is still unknown whether this is due to the premiere of 16 and Pregnant or the recent economic decline. However, the correlation between the date of the premiere and the decline in teen births cannot be ignored.[7]
References
- ^ "MTV Chronicles the Challenges of Teen Pregnancy in '16 & Pregnant' Premiering on Thursday, June 11th at 10pm ET/PT". The Futon Critic. May 18, 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ Dehnart, Andy (September 3, 2009). "MTV pulls Making His Band, House of Jazmin; orders 16 and Pregnant spin-off Teen Mom". Reality Blurred. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ "MTV's Original Groundbreaking Docu-Series Spotlighting the Challenges of Teen Pregnancy and Parenthood "16 and Pregnant" Returns on Tuesday, April 29 at 11PM ET/PT". The Futon Critic (Press release). MTV. March 20, 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
- ^ http://hollywoodlife.com/2015/01/12/16-pregnant-returning-season-6/
- ^ Bellafante, Ginia (June 10, 2009). "Real Life Is Like 'Juno,' Except Maybe the Dialogue". The New York Times. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ Marsh, Wendell (May 5, 2011). ""Maci" and "Bentley" soar in baby name game". Reuters. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ^ Wilson, Jacque (January 13, 2014). "Study: '16 and Pregnant' led to fewer teen births". CNN. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
