Amber Portwood and Gary Shirley’s teenage daughter, Leah, talked about her recent experiences on the latest episode of Teen Mom: Next Chapter.
In the episode, Gary and his wife, Christina, took Leah, who is 14 years old, to the doctor because she was having problems with her period. Leah agreed to discuss this on camera.
Christina explained that the doctor suggested using birth control to help Leah with her period issues. Leah kept saying she didn’t need it for anything other than her period.
Gary, Leah’s dad, said he was okay with her taking birth control. He wanted her to be safe and not end up like him and Amber, her mom, who became parents as teenagers.
Gary later told Amber about it, and she expressed relief that Leah was getting good advice and education about sex. She wished her own mom had done the same for her when she was young.
Gary then had a talk with Leah about her decision. Leah assured him that she understood how to take the medication and wasn’t thinking about having sex.
Leah and Gary ended their conversation positively. Leah mentioned talking to Christina about this topic, as she could offer a woman’s perspective.
The episode included Leah’s first-ever confessional on the show. She talked about how discussing bodies and sex is awkward but how lucky she felt to have Christina and her dad to talk to.
Leah emphasized that she didn’t want to have a child at a young age like her parents did. She wanted to focus on her education and future career.
Amber, Leah’s mom, also reflected on how proud she was of Leah. She acknowledged that Christina and Gary played a significant role in raising her, especially during the challenging times when Amber had issues with drugs.
