American Samoa has seen a steep rise in teenage pregnancies. While statistics show only 95 teenage pregnancies in 2007, officials at Samoa’s Department of Health recorded 133 babies born to teenage mothers in 2010. This increase of almost 50% over three years was achieved even though birth rates in American Samoa have been declining steadily.

One of the reasons for the increase of mothers between the ages of 12 and 19 is believed to be a change of parenting methods. While traditional Samoan family life enables parents to spend a lot of time with their children, most parents now work long hours and have other commitments. Instead of enforcing a curfew and spending the evening with their children engaging in worship and family life, children are often left home alone apparently engaging in premarital sex.

Monica Miller, reporter at Pacific Beat, said that the statistics have been alarming as traditionally the nation had been very religious, with sex frowned upon before marriage.

Co-chair of the Coalition Against Teen Pregnancy, Reverend Viliamu Leilua, also talked about an `Americanization’ of youth culture. Both the interviewed agreed that a return to more traditional parenting and a stricter supervision could help remedy the problem in the future.