Fact check: Is prenatal sunburn from Modern Family a real medical condition? Viral TikTok trend explained

Modern Family Cast (Image via Instagram / modernfamily)
Modern Family Cast (Image via Instagram / modernfamily)

Prenatal sunburn was mentioned in the sitcom Modern Family in Season 5, Episode 24, as a part of the show's characteristic humor. It refers to the concept of a sunburn that affects an unborn baby during pregnancy. In reality, this is a fictional and humorous idea rather than a medical condition.

The popularity of the term prenatal sunburn from Modern Family on TikTok spread from fans of the show. Fans shared clips of their pregnancy while referring to the joke from the show, which then went viral. Social media platforms often see trends based on humorous or memorable moments from popular TV shows and movies.

In the episode, a character jokingly expresses concern about their unborn child getting sunburned due to the mother being exposed to the sun.

This notion is used to convey comedy, as it's absurd to believe that a baby in the womb might be sunburned while they are protected inside and cannot be damaged directly by the sun. Pregnant women must protect their skin from sunburn, but the unborn child is shielded from direct sunlight by their mother.


A recap of Modern Family

Modern Family is a major American comedy that aired for eleven seasons between 2009 and 2020.

Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan created the program, which elegantly weaves together the lives of three diverse families related through Jay Pritchett, his son Michelle Pritchett and his daughter Claire Dunphy.

The Dunphy Family, The Pritchett-Delgado family and The Tucker-Pritchett family lives in suburban Los Angeles in United States of America.

The series has a distinct mockumentary format, which allows viewers to watch how these families function, with people regularly breaking the fourth wall to provide genuine observations.

At its foundation, Modern Family depicts the changing terrain of familial ties in contemporary culture. Jay's nuclear family, Claire's busy household and Mitchell's same-sex relationship with Cameron Tucker provide a prism to examine the intricacies of modern-day family. The show fearlessly discusses a variety of topics, including work and family concerns, personal identity and acceptance, all with comedy and passion.

The show's stars are Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, and Ty Burrell, who bring the characters to life and have won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Modern Family earned several honors, including 22 Emmys and a Golden Globe, demonstrating its importance in culture.

The show ended in 2020 with a touching final episode. It left a lasting mark of joy, love, and meaningful stories. Modern Family shows how family ties are important to everyone, making it a beloved part of TV history.


Main cast and characters in Modern Family

  • Ed O'Neill as Jay Pritchett
  • Sofía Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
  • Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy
  • Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy
  • Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett
  • Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker
  • Sarah Hyland as Haley Dunphy
  • Ariel Winter as Alex Dunphy
  • Nolan Gould as Luke Dunphy
  • Rico Rodriguez as Manny Delgado
  • Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily Tucker-Pritchett
  • Portrayed by twins Jaden Hiller and Ella Hiller
  • Jeremy Maguire as Joe Pritchett
  • Portrayed by Rebecca and Sierra Mark
  • Reid Ewing as Dylan Marshall

All the 11 seasons of the show are available on Prime Video, Hulu and Disney Hotstar.

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Edited by Bhargav
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