Teenage Boys Are Suddenly Pregnant in Chicago’s Striking PSA Campaign

Illinois and Wisconsin are currently overrun with pregnant teenage boys, thanks to the Chicago Department of Public Health. Man, that's fun to say. The CDPH's Office of Adolescent and School Health has rolled out a new teen-pregnancy prevention campaign that features pictures of pregnant teenage boys, and the accompanying text reads "Unexpected? Most teen pregnancies are." The intended impact is twofold. Along with the initial shock of seeing a pregnant boy, the ads hope to communicate that pregnancy prevention isn't just the girl's responsibility. They're risky images to run with, but I'm glad that the CDPH didn't try to make a joke out of it. If Junior taught us anything, it's that male pregnancy is no laughing matter. More images below.

    

Teenage Parents Have Only Miserable and Vindictive Babies, Say NYC Ads

Teenage pregnancy is on the rise. Wait, no it's not! Teen birth rates were at an all-time low in the U.S. in 2011, according to CBS News. And according to New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the city's teen pregnancy rate dropped by 27 percent in the last 10 years. Nevertheless, we have some provocative new ads from NYC's Teen Pregnancy Prevention Campaign combatting the babies-having-babies epidemic. The campaign, which began running across town in subways and bus shelters this week, features adorable kids who are victims—just by being born—of their horrible, unthinking teen parents. One features a kid saying, "Got a good job? I cost thousands of dollars each year." Another, arguably the most most controversial, features a crying baby boy with text that reads, "I'm twice as likely not to graduate high school because you had me as a teen." The ads have provoked a war of words between the mayor's office and Planned Parenthood of New York City, which has denounced the posters, claiming they ignore the racial, economic and social factors that contribute to teenage pregnancy and stigmatize teen parents and their children. But the message to teens is certainly clear: Don't want a weepy, resentful baby on your hands? Don't get pregnant. More ads below. Top image via.