Episode image for Pregnancy: My Big Decision

Duration: 1 hour

Documentary which follows two teenage girls who are on the brink of making a big decision. Separated by age, culture and geography, but sharing the same all-consuming desire to have a baby, the girls go on a very personal journey of self discovery. But they are not going on their own - they are taking their mums and grans with them.

Taking a break from everyday life, six women embark on a five-day road trip across the UK, immersing themselves in the world of teen pregnancy. Offering help and support throughout the experience, it is the last chance the older women have to persuade the teenagers to think about making the right choice.

16-year-old Chantelle lost her virginity at 13. Having now been with her 20-year-old boyfriend for two years she is desperate for a child, but her mum Mandy and gran Maggie are against the idea. So why does Chantelle so desperately want to be a teen mum?

Only child Lydia is convinced she is independent enough to raise a child even though she is only 14 and doesn't have a boyfriend. Mum Josephine cannot understand why she wants to throw her teenage years, and her future, away.

Along the way, the families are introduced to a variety of people and situations designed to get them talking openly and honestly and help inform the teens before they make their Big Decision. Both families get to meet a real-life teen mum, visit a maternity ward and hear about the harsh reality of giving birth from a new mum. The teens get the chance to experience what it is like to be a parent when they are given a computerised baby to look after.

Finally, after five days on the road, have the experiences had an effect on the Lydia and Chantelle? Do they still want to have a baby and become a teen mum?

What will be their Big Decision?

Last on

Fri 28 Aug 2009 04:10 BBC Three

  • Clip: Chantelle meets Zoe

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    Chantelle travels to Bristol to meet young mum Zoe.

  • This programme was part of...

    This programme was part of...

    A season of programmes broadcast during summer 2009, exploring what it's like to be young and growing up in Britain today.

    BBC Three: The Adult Season
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Credits

Director
Ellena Wood
Producer
Ellena Wood

Broadcasts

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