TLC
Statistically, children of teen mums are more likely to become teen parents themselves — and TLC is exploring this phenomenon in a brand new reality show, Unexpected.
PEOPLE can exclusively announce that the network is premiering the new six-episode series next month, following the lives of three pregnant teens who are all the children of teen mothers themselves — and in one instance, the grandchild of a teen mum, marking three generations of teen pregnancy in one family.
In the exclusive trailer above, viewers are introduced to Lilly, 16, McKayla, 16, and Lexus, 15.
“No one ever told me that it was so easy to get pregnant,” says Lilly, who only started dating James a few months before she got pregnant, leaving her family to warn her that “not every dad sticks around.”
“It’s not what a mum wants for her daughter — nobody wants this,” Lilly’s mother says. “It’s pretty much a mum’s worst nightmare.”
McKayla, who was raised by her grandparents since her teenage mother Shannon was largely absent during her childhood, is prepping for prom with the soon-to-be father of her child. But she’s also working on reestablishing a relationship with her mother, who now wants to be a bigger part of her life in the few weeks before the baby arrives.
“I found out McKayla was pregnant through text,” Shannon says. “I really wasn’t surprised.”
Lexus, whose grandmother and mother, Kelsey, were both teen mums, is gearing up to welcome a child with her boyfriend Shayden — but Kelsey is doubtful they’re prepared for the huge responsibility that is parenthood.
“I never thought I’d be here, with my daughter being 15 and pregnant,” Kelsey, 31, admits in the trailer.
With Unexpected, TLC is working in partnership with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy in the hopes of sparking meaningful conversations about unplanned pregnancies.
According to the National Campaign, teen and unplanned pregnancy have dropped by more than half since the early 1990s, but nearly one in four girls will get pregnant by age 20, and children of teen mums are more likely to become teen parents themselves. Visit TLC.com/Unexpected for more resources.
Unexpected premieres Nov. 12 at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.
In advance of the series premiere, TLC GO will debut Unexpected: Baby Bumps on Nov. 5, a four-episode digital series introducing Lilly, McKayla and Lexus. Download the TLC GO app to watch and to see the season premiere of Unexpectedbefore it airs on TV.
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