(Newser Summary) – Teenagers who watch more sexual content on TV are far more likely to face pregnancy, a new study suggests. Of 700 teens interviewed over 3 years, those who watched the most sexual material—on shows such as Friends and Sex and the City—were about twice as likely to get pregnant or make someone pregnant as those who watched the least, the Washington Post reports.
About 25% of those who watched the most sex on TV said they’d dealt with pregnancy, while 12% of those who watched the least reported facing it. Studies had previously shown a link between watching sex on TV and being sexually active, but hadn’t noted the pregnancy connection. Still, some experts weren’t convinced, noting that other factors could be at play. Source: Washington Post
We need to be cautious about overreaching in our expectations about the role the media can play in ... teen pregnancy. We don't want to assume this is the whole story. - Kelleen Kaye, National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
