New data indicating a drop in the high number of teenage pregnancies in Samoa is being greeted with caution.
The statistics from public hospitals indicate there's a significant decrease in teenage pregnancies.
The data shows most teenage pregnancies happen to fifteen to twenty-year olds, but some mothers are as young as twelve.
But the Chief Executive Officer at the ministry of health's Palanitina Toelupe says it's unclear if the data reflects the true picture.
"There has been a decrease but we have not been totally convinced of it. The information that we have is from the public hospitals, government funded hospitals. We have not been able to get information from the private hospitals, the traditional birth attendants, as well as general practitioners."
Palanitina Toelupe says health, together with the social and education ministry ,as well as local bodies, are trying to address the issue by raising community awareness about the prevention of unwanted pregnancies.
