Abstract
Among 18-21-year-old females the most common reason for a physician visit is an obstetric or gynecologic complaint. 1 After pregnancy, concerns about menstrual cycle dysfunction including irregular or heavy menses are the most common dilemmas. As health-care providers it is important to assess these young girls to determine whether their complaint is a variant of normal development or a sign of underlying pathology. To this end, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on adolescent health care 2 has suggested that the menstrual cycle be included as a vital sign when seeing adolescents at an office visit. Aberrations in the menstrual cycle can then be used as a screening tool to direct investigation further. Vital to this process is an understanding by both the physician and the patient of normal menstrual cycle parameters in this age group.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call