If you’re having sex, there is always a chance of pregnancy. No contraceptive is 100% effective! Here’s the deal: If someone is having sex there is a chance of pregnancy. It doesn’t matter how great their parents are, how nice their neighborhood is, how good they are in school, or what kind of plans they have for the future.

Meet Izabella, the newest face on 16 and Pregnant. Giving birth at the beginning of her sophomore year, she’s one of the youngest girls on this season of the show. Izabella is a straight A student at her Catholic school in Utah, and dreams of becoming a doctor someday. Unlike other girls, she hides her pregnancy from friends and family (only her parents and boyfriend knew!), and refuses to go out in public all summer. Can you imagine keeping a secret that big from everyone you know?

As a teen, facing judgment from friends, family, or even strangers can seem like the hardest part of an unplanned pregnancy. If getting up early for school every day is already a struggle, imagine being up all night with a crying baby before trying to make that 7:30 AM bell, AND still trying to look your cutest. Why do you think attending school as a pregnant teen is so difficult? Since 17% of sexually active high school girls report having used no contraception the last time they had sex, they could easy be in the same situation as a pregnant classmate. In fact, 3 out of 10 girls in the U.S. get pregnant by age 20. (side note: more than half of high school student s are virgins-not everyone is doing it, despite what it may seem!)

While supportive of Izabella and boyfriend Jairo, the pregnancy causes tension between Izabella’s parents. Her dad wishes his wife has talked to her about contraception before it became too late. But on the other hand, Izabella’s uncle thinks that she’s proof that that it doesn’t matter how close parents are with their kids, pregnancy can still happen. Even though she is close with her parents, do you think being more open about sex could have prevented the pregnancy? Maybe, since teens report that parents are their #1 influence when making the decision to have sex. 

The support of her parents means Izabella is able to go back to school without falling behind. By the end of the episode, she takes a hard line with Jairo, telling him to get an education or hit the road (you go girl!) Unlike some of the other girls we’ve seen on 16 and Pregnant, Izabella realizes that she can’t let her feelings cloud her judgment when considering what’s best for her and baby Enrique. It’s good that she’s so focused on her future, since less than 2% of teen moms get a college degree by age 30.

This episode gives us a lot to think about. Having a baby changes the way other people think of you, and forces you to re-arrange your priorities. Izabella says that Enrique made her realize that friends come and go, but family is forever. How do you think your life would change if you got pregnant?  Would it change what everyone thought about you?

This post was written by Kate, an intern for The National Campaign. Kate is a senior at George Washington University, studying journalism and sociology. She loves theater and cooking, and eats mashed potatoes every single day.