The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that a young woman’s first visit with an obstetrician–gynecologist occur between the ages of 13 and 15. This first visit allows time to establish a relationship between physician and patient and to discuss issues of a confidential nature. Important topics to review include normal pubertal development and menstruation, healthy eating habits and body image, safety, and prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The extent of the examination should be tailored to the patient’s age and relevant history.
Routine preventive health care may identify gynecologic problems in infants, children, and adolescents; these disorders are often different from the problems that affect adult women. Common gynecologic disorders in these age groups range from vaginal discharge to menstrual disorders, from pelvic pain to congenital anomalies of the reproductive tract, and from abnormal puberty to amenorrhea. Children and adolescents with gynecologic problems have unique needs and require specialized evaluation, treatment, and follow–up by a gynecologist with expertise in these disorders.
At Yale Reproductive Endocrinology, we offer evaluation and treatment of a vast array of gynecologic conditions that can affect children and adolescents. All examinations are age–appropriate and, if necessary, an examination under sedation can be performed in the pediatric operating room at Yale–New Haven Hospital. If further consultation is needed, the vast resources of the Yale–New Haven Children’s Hospital are available. Educational resources are made available for patients and their families. Our goal is to provide sensitive and comprehensive care, as well as a multidisciplinary approach, if indicated.
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