The Pregnancy Project 2012

A sharp-eyed, 28-year-old reporter named Sidney Bloom uncovers a troubling pattern at Gloucester High: over the span of just eight weeks, the school has reported ten to eighteen teen pregnancies. Intrigued and concerned, Sidney sets out to document what’s happening, talking with the school nurse, Kim, who explains that she had pressed for free birth control to be offered to students but was rebuffed by the administration. As Sidney chats with students, she encounters several young women who have chosen to become pregnant at roughly the same time, including Karissa, Iris, and Rose, who are actively encouraging their friend Sara Dougan to join them in pregnancy as well.

In a bid to keep her boyfriend Jesse’s interest, Sara makes the fateful decision to become pregnant herself. The consequences unfold quickly: Jesse leaves her once he learns of the pregnancy, and Sara’s father Michael, along with Sara’s mother Lorraine, clash with her, creating a rift that strains the entire family. Sidney offers support to Sara, and in a candid moment reveals a long-held secret of her own—she became pregnant at sixteen by a school faculty member named Brady and ultimately placed the baby up for adoption. The revelation adds depth to Sara’s predicament and to Sidney’s sympathetic understanding of what young people face when adults fail to provide clear guidance.

In a parallel thread of the story, Jesse contemplates his future in college and baseball, while his father presses him to stay focused on those plans. The tension between romance, responsibility, and ambition drives the emotional core of the film. Sara leans into the hope of a life with Jesse, imagining a marriage and a family, rather than pursuing a traditional college path or a formal career.

Lorraine takes an active role in shaping school policy. She proposes a meeting of the school council to raise funds for a daycare center, signaling a practical response to the pregnancy wave. Sidney, attending the meeting, publicly requests birth control access and unveils Sara’s pregnancy, which triggers Lorraine’s controversial decision to resign from the council. The story then expands into a broader media moment, as a news feature about the girls’ plan to raise their babies together captures widespread attention and intensifies the public conversation around teen pregnancy and reproductive choices.

As the drama unfolds, Sara’s dream of a future with Jesse remains fragile. She tells Sidney of her longing to marry him and raise their child, and she downplays the importance of college or a career in service of that dream. Meanwhile, Rose gives birth to a daughter, but her habit of smoking during pregnancy creates complications during labor, including vaginal tearing, which lands the baby in the NICU and complicates the family’s dynamic.

The strain on Sara deepens when Jesse, after overhearing Sara discussing her revelation with Sidney, rejects her once again. Karissa’s mother makes a heartfelt confession at a party, admitting how hard she struggled as a single mother and urging her daughter not to fall into the same trap. At that same party, Sara attempts to reconcile with Jesse, but he remains steadfast in his decision not to be part of her life or their child’s life. The heartbreak and fear push Sara toward a dangerous moment of self-destruction—she binge-drinks and nearly reaches alcohol poisoning—yet she eventually finds her footing again with the support of her parents.

Lorraine’s persistence pays off in a shift of policy: she manages to persuade the school council to retain her seat and shifts the focus toward providing birth control and promoting abstinence as a component of education, signaling a more proactive response to the crisis.

The narrative moves toward a quiet, reflective ending. In an epilogue, Sidney notes that the principal has resigned, the daycare is full, and many girls have apparently left Gloucester High to pursue better daycare options for their children. She encourages parents to be thoughtful about how they guide their children in matters of love, family, and relationships, offering a measure of hope for the future. Rose remains a reluctant mother, and she endures the social stigma of teenage pregnancy from some family members. In the closing months of her pregnancy, Sara watches Jesse with his new girlfriend and feels a pang of regret for the life she might have had with him. Yet the film closes on a note of resilience: Sara is shown happily raising her daughter, supported by her parents, together with a sense of possibility for the road ahead.

Throughout, the film maintains a careful, neutral tone while exploring complex themes: peer influence, responsibility, family dynamics, the role of schools in reproductive health, and the ways communities respond to teenage pregnancy. The result is a thoughtful portrait of young people navigating difficult choices and the adults who try to guide them, with an emphasis on empathy, accountability, and the often imperfect paths to a secure future.