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

Get More: MTV Shows

MTV's first hit docu-series to portray the challenges and difficulties of teen pregnancy and parenthood, "16 and Pregnant," returns tonight, 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.

About The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization that seeks to improve the lives and future prospects of children and families. Our specific strategy is to prevent teen pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy so that a higher proportion of babies are born into wanted and welcoming circumstances. The National Campaign supports a combination of responsible behavior by men and women and responsible policies in the public and private sectors. Find out more at www.thenationalcampaign.org or www.stayteen.org. About MTV: MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy®, Grammy® and Peabody® award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online HUB MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.