VIDEO: Sneak Peek - New Season of MTV's Hit Docu-Series 16 AND PREGNANT

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MTV's first hit docu-series to portray the challenges and difficulties of teen pregnancy and parenthood, "16 and Pregnant," returns on Tuesday, April 29 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, with 12 all-new episodes full of drama, heartbreak, laughter and tears. Although this season features a new cast of young mothers with their own unique set of problems, concerns and challenges - the theme still remains the same - becoming a parent at a very early age will undoubtedly be one of the hardest things they will ever face in their young lives. According to new researchreleased in January 2014 by economists at the University of Maryland and Wellesley College, MTV's shows about teen pregnancy and parenthood, including "16 and Pregnant" and the "Teen Mom" franchise, led to a 5.7% reduction in teen births - or about one-third of the decline in teen births since the premiere of "16 and Pregnant" in June 2009. "16 and Pregnant" will air on Tuesdays at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

"We are honored that these young women have shared their very personal, life changing journeys with us and our audience as they deal with the unchartered experience of becoming first time parents at such an early age," said Lauren Dolgen, EVP Series Development & Head West Coast Unscripted of MTV. "'16 and Pregnant' has gone above and beyond our expectations in terms of its impact on the decline of teen pregnancy and teen parenthood. We are excited to continue to provide a real and unfiltered look at the joy and pain of becoming a teen parent unexpectedly."

This season on "16 and Pregnant," viewers will be introduced to: the star athlete who gets pregnant after a one night stand and faces the prospect of being forced to move out of her home after the baby is born; a young girl who gives birth to twins and after constant fighting with the father of her children isn't sure he will be there to help her raise them, a teen mother trying to mend her relationship with her own mother who struggles with addiction; and the popular girl who gets pregnant and ends up homeless. Each story will delve deeply into the unglamorous world of teen pregnancy, as this group of young moms will have to face the ups and downs of teen parenthood.

The teen birth rate in the U.S. declined 29 percent between 2007 and 2012. Despite the steep decline in teen birth rates, more than 700,000 teenage girls in the U.S. still become pregnant each year and nearly one out of every ten children in the U.S. is born to a teenage mother. The vast majority of these pregnancies are unintended, and one quarter of all teen moms have a second child within two years. In a 2012 poll by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 77 percent of teens age 12-19 who have seen "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom" say the shows "help teens better understand the challenges of pregnancy and parenting."

More information about sexual health issues affecting young people, including unintended pregnancy, is available at www.itsyoursexlife.com, a public information resource developed by MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is working with the show to provide additional information.

Since its launch in 2009, "16 and Pregnant" has captivated millions of viewers with its honest depiction of the lives of pregnant teens. Through four seasons, 16 and Pregnant averaged 2.4 million total viewers each week. The most recent season ranked as Tuesday's #1 cable show with W18-34.
Source: Nielsen. Series rank on Live+SD. Series average on Live+3. Ranked on 000s.
"16 and Pregnant" is Executive Produced by Morgan J Freeman, Dia Sokol Savage and Lauren Dolgen. Jessica Zalkind, Andrew Portnoy, Sara Cohen, Janay Dutton and Nick Predescu are Executives in charge for MTV. Concept by Lauren Dolgen.

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