MTV SPOTLIGHTS STORIES OF ADOPTION IN THE "16 AND PREGNANT: ADOPTION SPECIAL" PREMIERING TUESDAY, JULY 12 AT 11PM ET/PT FOLLOWING A NEW EPISODE OF "TEEN MOM"

New York, NY - July 11, 2011 - MTV takes a closer look inside the stories of Teen Mom's Catelynn and Tyler, and 16 and Pregnant's Ashley in the "16 and Pregnant: Adoption Special" airing on Tuesday, July 12 at 11pm ET/PT, immediately following a new episode of "Teen Mom" at 10pm ET/PT. The hour-long special will take an emotional, in-depth look at the realities of adoption through the eyes of these teens, and will explore this complex issue by looking at adoption plans in the U.S.

Catelynn and Tyler have always felt that they have made the right decision for Carly, and in never before seen footage they get a glimpse inside Carly's life with her adoptive parents, Brandon and Teresa. While Catelynn and Tyler are confident in their choice, Ashley is still struggling with her decision and is desperately trying to get her child back despite the tension that it is causing with her family. Paige and Catelynn, who met through their adoption counselor Dawn, became friends when they met at a birth mom retreat. The two bonded over their adoption stories and soon became close friends. The special will provide an opportunity for these girls and the families who adopted their children to speak candidly about this life decision.

"Teens have to be smart about protecting themselves because once you're pregnant, it's difficult no matter what you decide to do," said Catelynn of MTV's Teen Mom. "Tyler and I don't regret choosing an adoption plan for Carly, we know she has a great life with Brandon and Teresa. If teens are facing an unplanned pregnancy though, it's important that they know that there are adoptions plans out there that could work for them."

According to the National Campaign, one out of every ten children in the United States is born to a teenage mother and about one quarter of all teen moms have a second child within two years, making it difficult to get an education or escape poverty. Additionally, children born to teen parents are more likely to repeat the cycle and become teen parents themselves. Despite the availability of sex education and access to contraception, the United States continues to have the highest rate of teen pregnancy and teen birth in the entire developed world.

"16 and Pregnant" is Executive Produced by Morgan J Freeman. Lauren Dolgen is Executive in charge for MTV. Dia Sokol is Executive Producer. Jessica Zalkind is Executive for MTV. Concept by Lauren Dolgen.

Executive Producer Morgan J. Freeman (MTV's Laguna Beach, Teen Mom and Teen Mom 2) made a name for himself as the Sundance award-winning writer/director of Hurricane Streets, a film centered on the trials and tribulations of teenage life. Freeman's latest theatrical release was Homecoming, a psychological thriller starring Mischa Barton and 90210's Jessica Stroup.

About MTV:

MTV is the world's premiere 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(R), Grammy(R) and Peabody(R) 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 the leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.