According to teenpregnancy.org, there were a reported 821,810 teen pregnancies in the year 2000.  Roughly one third of those pregnancies (which are girls between the ages of 15-19), are non-Hispanic white girls, which is the largest ethnic group in terms of teen pregnancy...

From 1992 to 2000, teen pregnancy rates have dropped, on the whole. However, many would like to see these numbers drop even lower. Years upon years of pro-abstinence commercials, advertising, and education have dramatically helped reduce these figures. Even though the numbers are declining, and we seem to have figured out that making the issue public is the best defense, teen pregnancy is getting a sort of pro-pregnancy boost from the entertainment world.

The biggest comedy of 2007 was Knocked Up. It’s a hilarious movie, and a modern classic. The movie does, however, operate around the subject of pregnancy. The film does depict a fairly honest portrayal of an unplanned pregnancy, and it does show certain cons associated with unplanned pregnancies. The question is: Does the film’s overlying raunchy comedy and explicit laughs downplay the issue?   

A second pregnancy related comedy has come out even more recently, Juno. This film deals specifically with teen pregnancy. Juno does show the downs associated with teen pregnancy, possible repercussions, and emotional hardships. However, this film is also a comedy. Despite the “don’t let this happen to you” undertone, the film manages to take a devastating situation for a young teen girl and turns it into a funny, positive, heart-warming, and playful ordeal.

Last but not least, we have Jamie Spears. Spears is pregnant at only 16 years old. Thousands of tween girls look up to her and watch her show regularly. When news of her pregnancy broke, America was shocked, and many swore off watching her show or having anything to do with the Spears family. Oddly enough, when the season finale of Spears’ show, Zoey 101, aired last week, it was the highest rated episode of the show to date. Spears picked up more viewers AFTER she spilled the beans. The implication that more young girls were turned on to Spears show thanks to the news of her unplanned pregnancy rather than her talent is downright uncomfortable.

Is teen pregnancy or unplanned pregnancy cool now, thanks to Hollywood? Probably not. However, the message that teens get from films, TV and entertainment news certainly doesn’t show how serious the matter is. Teens aren’t dumb, they realize that pregnancy is no laughing matter in real life, but it has become a laughing matter on the screen. While teens are in no way encouraged to have an unplanned pregnancy from Hollywood, is it possible that they don’t worry about as much as they did a few years ago?

Watch the trailer for Juno here .

Or check out the trailer for Knocked Up here.  

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