Consultations for Obstetric and Gynecological Problems in the Pediatric Population in a Tertiary Care Hospital...

The aim of this study was to describe the gynecological issues encountered in Turkish children and adolescents who were referred from pediatric clinics to the obstetrics and gynecology department.

This descriptive study was conducted at Mersin University Hospital. Data were obtained through a retrospective review of medical records of patients aged 0-18 years who were admitted to pediatric clinics between January 2015 and December 2022 were subsequently referred to the obstetrics and gynecology department. The findings were presented as numerical data and percentages.

A total of 943 consultations were evaluated. Of these, 1.5% involved children, while 98.5% involved adolescents. The median age of the 14 pediatric patients was 8 years (range: 4-9 years). These patients were referred for persistent vaginal discharge (57.1%), prolonged vaginal spotting (28.6%), or concerning accidental perineal trauma (14.3%). The median age of the 929 adolescent patients was 16 years (range: 10-18 years). The most common conditions identified in adolescent patients included menstrual disorders (65.4%), conditions associated with adolescent pregnancy (22.4%), ovarian disorders (4.4%), persistent vaginal discharge (3.9%), persistent vulvar disorders (1.5%), accidental soft-tissue injury of the perineum (1.1%), dissatisfaction with genital appearance (1%), retained tampon in the vagina (0.2%), and rectovaginal fistula (0.1%). The most prevalent menstrual disorders were irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and amenorrhea, in that order of frequency. Heavy menstrual bleeding was the most common form of irregular menstruation.

An obstetrics and gynecology consultation can contribute to a holistic approach in the care of children and adolescents with obstetric and gynecological conditions.