Report: Teens Who Watch Sex-Fueled Shows More Likely to Get Pregnant

Report: Teens Who Watch Sex-Fueled Shows More Likely to Get Pregnant

Monday, November 03, 2008

A new study suggests that the teen-agers who watch the most sexually charged television shows are twice as likely to become pregnant, or impregnate, someone else.

In the new study, reported in the November issue of "Pediatrics," researchers surveyed 2,003 children aged 12 to 17 in 2001, then followed up with them in 2002 and 2004.

Their research showed that those who watched the most sexual programming were twice as likely to have gotten pregnant or gotten someone else pregnant compared to those who watched the least amoung of those shows.

The researchers did not list the TV shows they considered to be sexually charged.

The study's findings show that "what children see on screen affects their behavior in real life," said Dr. Dimitri A. Christakis, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington who studies kids and television.

Parents need to pay attention to what their kids watch, said study author Anita Chandra.

"Not a lot of content on TV talks about the potential negative consequences of sex," Chandra said. "Characters engage in sexual talk or activity, give positive attributes to sex, and there's little discussion about the risks and contraceptive use."