They discourage teen pregnancy because they show the financial struggles that teen moms/parents deal with. Like going places, women who have kids have the most trouble going places on time because they have more than just themselves to worry about. They have to bathe the kids, get them dressed, make sure they eat, and more and the show 16 and pregnant shows the teens struggling with that and when other teen girls see that they aren’t going to want to deal with that much responsibility.

It shows the teen moms as physically uncomfortable, and both teen parents having to work, and not getting the opportunity to enjoy their teenage lives. The show also shows the struggle of the emotions and the relationship when they are pregnant. Which can be bad depending on how the relationship or their mindsets are. They also show that the mothers were also being broken up with because the father of the baby couldn’t handle the responsibility or the stress that came with the baby so they had to struggle on their own. That shows teens that they shouldn't have kids unless they are financially stable and or mentally stable and they have the support that they need. 

The percentage of teen pregnancy has gone down 5.7 percent ever since the show “16 and pregnant” came out. The tweets about protection, birth control, and abortions have gone viral because they want to spread awareness that giving birth is your choice but we also need to stay protected if we don’t want kids. Most teens saw that show and saw everyone struggling with the babies and decided not to have kids until they were ready.

For the people who judge the teen moms and teen parents of these shows, please remember that they might be raising those children alone in the show and when the teens see it they reconsider thinking about pregnancy.