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I don't know, because I think some girls see how eventually these teen moms end up with nice cars, smart phones, and the ability to go out and do fun things, because of the show. They then see the good side and drown out the bad, and think that "well if I get pregnant, maybe I can have all that too." In reality though, this is not the case for most "normal" teen moms. I think some teens forget that though.

I love those shows, but I don't know how much they actually work as birth control. I do think that it is important to see how much those girls struggle and how having a baby doesn't make a boyfriend stay....

I don't think it makes having baby look easy and I like how it is pretty truthful the show is. Being a new mom is hard at any age, but it is REALLY hard when one is a teenager.

I wasn't interested in boys until college let alone curious about sex as a teen, but the most effective birth control experience came when I was 15. My parents agreed to watch their god-daughter for a weekend and she became my responsibility. Taking care of a baby still in diapers who was sick (barely kept anything down) and cried at just about everything including getting a bath was eye opening. I knew babies were not in the cards for me anytime soon. I watch those pregnancy shows and now some of those teen moms are stars, so I don't think its as effective as it once was.

I doubt it. Shows like "Scared Straight" have been on since the 70s and I doubt any decrease in crime can be attributed to them. I think watching Teen Mom has little influence how much teens prepare themselves for the actual moment of protected sex... call me a cynic?

One teen mom has twins and then she herself went and got pregnant again. If she cant learn from her own mistakes..... I don't think it will work for others either.

No. Honestly, most if not all the girls they feature (and the boys) are trashy and cone from broken homes. If I were an average kid with a good home life, I don't know that I'd relate it think it could happen to me. I also don't think they talk enough about how they got there. It should be obvious, but only in a few instances have I heard the "we did it without a condom" discussion. Kids really need it spelled out (at least I would have). They have those little pre-commercial announcements that it can be prevented and here's the website, but I just don't think it's intended for birth control - and if it is, it's not really effective. (And yeah I obviously watch it all the time lol!)

@ms.janedoe: I totally agree with you. 16 & Pregnant seems more 'real'.

I read somewhere that all the moms get paid for being on the shows. However, for 16 & Pregnant, it's set up so that it goes into a trust for them, only accessible if certain conditions are met and I believe I read that it's only 10,000 dollars for their episode. For Teen Mom, they are paid per episode shot and only paid after the season airs completely, including attending the reunion shot as part of their contracts. I have heard that some of them are paid $75,000 per season, and that supporting members (ie Jenelle's mom) get paid too.

I don't think they are effective as birth control. I think that teens today see them as 'celebrities' and think that's their ticket to fame. The same way with Jersey Shore idealized drinking and doing nothing. I don't like shows like this.