The Secret Life of the American Teenager's July 1 premiere became ABC Family's most watched series, with 2.8 million viewers tuning in.  The teenage pregnancy drama follows Amy Juergens, played by Shailene Woodley, a goody two shoes high school freshman, who gets impregnated after her first sexual encounter with the school stud while at band camp.

Conceived by 7th Heaven creator Brenda Hampton, The Secret Life of the American Teenager was also the highest rated premiere among key demographics, particularly adults 18 to 49, trailing only to Kyle XY in total number of viewers.

With teen pregnancy rates on the rise for the first time in more than a decade, it's interesting to note how similarly themed shows, or programs that more or less tackle the topic, may have been riding on this wave of increased social awareness on the subject.  Other than The Secret Life of the American Teenager, the NBC reality show The Baby Borrowers also gave NBC its best series debut rating all summer.  The show features five teen couples tasked to look after babies.  This, after the very successful release of the movie Juno and the pregnancy of 16-year-old Nickelodeon talent Jamie Lynn Spears.

Figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as reported by Reuters, show that teen births rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006 after a sharp 34 percent decline between 1991 and 2005.

-Glenn L. Diaz, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Reuters
(Image Courtesy of ABC Family)