TV and Teen Pregnancy: Nov. 2008 Rand Study
Sex, Media, and Your Kids
Study shows increased sexual content on TV increases risk of teen pregnancy
More than 1 million teens per year get pregnant in the U.S.
The number has been declining since 1991 but is still in the highest industrialized nations
Sexual content on television has doubled in the last decades
Few TV programs demonstrate safe sex
Advice & Answers
TV sex matters
A Rand study released Nov. 3, 2008, reported that when adolescents watch a lot of television with sexual content, they're twice as likely to get pregnant or impregnate someone as those who saw fewer programs over the course of three years.
Few programs demonstrate safe sex
TV shows rarely portray the risks of sex and often don't mention contraception. But previous research from Rand showed that content that includes negative consequences -- such as sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies -- can be educational for teens.
Talk to your teens.
The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, recommends talking with your teens about the consequences of sex -- and we recommend decoding the fantasy sex your kids see on their favorite programs. They need to hear you talk about the potential consequences of sex, even if they know the facts of life. They need to know that it matters to you and your family.
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