16 & Pregnant is a television show broadcast on MTV that, as the name suggests, focuses on the lives of various teenagers who become pregnant while still in high school; each tells a different story. In these episodes, viewers can observe the difficulties these teenagers face due to pregnancy during pubertal development. Controversy was raised following the release of this show; This left viewers torn between whether 16 and Pregnant discourages teen pregnancy or shrouds it in curiosity. There is more than enough evidence to say that 16 & Pregnant actually discourages teen pregnancy for various reasons. According to the New York Times report, the National Bureau of Economic Research compared Nielsen television ratings with birth records and concluded that in areas where teens watched MTV more after the debut of 16 & Pregnant, it There has been a rapid decline in teen pregnancy rates when compared to other areas that have seen it less frequently, although some believe the show glamorizes the subject. Some also believe that it encourages teenagers to disrespect their parents in every way possible; on the contrary, watching 16 & Pregnant goes a long way toward discouraging teen pregnancy and family problems by showing the difficulties these teens face, teaching the importance of completing high school, and encouraging viewers to use various contraceptive methods or practice abstinence. Throughout the various seasons of 16 & Pregnant, the difficulties faced are constantly shown to discourage teenage viewers from becoming pregnant. It demonstrates the many difficulties that teenage mothers face before and especially after pregnancy. One of the difficulties shown in the series is the increased tension in the relationship. Teens who s......middle of paper......trop, K., Brown, J., & Ortiz, R. (2010). “Science Says No. 45: Assessing the Impact of MTV's 16-Year-Olds and Pregnant Women on Adolescents' Attitudes toward Teen Pregnancy.” https://thenationalcampaign.org/resource/science-says-45 (accessed March 25, 2014) Lowrey, A. (2014). MTV's "16 and Pregnant," derided by some, might sound like a cautionary tale. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/13/business/media/mtvs-16-and-pregnant-derided-by-some-may-resonate-as-a-cautionary-tale.html (accessed April 13 2014) "Do programs like 16 and Pregnant encourage or discourage teen pregnancy?" (2014). http://www.secureteen.com/peer-pressione/do-shows-like-16-and-pregnant-encourage-or-discourage-teen-pregnancy/ (accessed March 25, 2014) Heather. (2014). “Are they together? A list of all couples aged 16 and pregnant. http://teenmomtalk.com/are-they-together-a-list-of-all-pairs-from-16-pregnant/ (accessed April 16 2014)