What to Expect at Your First Appointment with Adolescent Gynecology, for Children Ages 12 and Up
At Cincinnati Children's Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Clinic, we care for children from birth to young adulthood with gynecologic needs. This information introduces you to our services and the way we provide care for our patients from age 12 years and up.
We are committed to providing family-centered care that treats patients with compassion and respect. Our staff's specialized gynecologic training offers thoughtful approaches to treatment of conditions that can affect sexual development and future fertility.
We strive to gain the trust of adolescents so they feel comfortable asking questions and sharing information with us. We take time during each appointment to speak to adolescents alone so they feel assured their information is confidential and safe. However, we believe that an involved and caring adult is critical to a child's development. We encourage open communication among adolescents, their families and other important people in their lives. We work to respect your family values while offering important care.
Learn what you and your adolescent can expect at their first appointment with adolescent gynecology experts.
Making an Appointment with Adolescent Gynecology
You can make an appointment by contacting us.
Please note that some insurance companies require a referral from your primary care physician. Be sure you get this referral before your child's appointment.
Our experts also offer online second opinions to families outside the Greater Cincinnati area. A specialist will review your case and answer specific questions about a diagnosis or treatment options.
Preparing for Your Visit
Before your visit, you should help your adolescent know what to expect during the appointment in an age-appropriate way. We encourage you to review the possibility of a genital exam as part of the evaluation; however, if there is not a physical genital concern, we often do not need to perform a genital exam on the first visit. We recommend using the proper terms for body parts with children at every age.
For your visit, please bring your child's insurance information and a list of any questions you have.
On the Day of Your Visit with Adolescent Gynecology
Before Your Appointment
Plan to arrive in the clinic 15 minutes before your appointment. We provide services at multiple locations throughout the Cincinnati area, so be sure to leave enough time to park and walk to our offices, particularly if you're visiting one of our larger facilities. Our team sees patients at the following locations: Anderson, Green, and Liberty Township, Northern Kentucky and the main hospital at Burnet Avenue.
Should an unexpected delay arise causing you to anticipate being late to the appointment, please contact us to help facilitate meeting your family's needs.
At Your Appointment
During the first visit to our clinic, you and your adolescent will meet with one of our specialized physicians or nurse practitioners. You may also meet a provider-in-training working with our experienced team. During this visit, your child's care provider will review their medical history, family history and more. We understand this is a new experience for your teen, so we are patient and take the needed time to learn about your teen and your teen's needs. In some cases, the visit may take longer than you a typical primary care appointment (sometimes a new appointment could take up to one hour).
If your adolescent has a genital complaint, an age appropriate genital examination may be needed. However, parents or guardians may be present throughout the evaluation. An exam will not be performed unless both you and your child feel comfortable and provide permission.
During each visit (starting at the age of 12 years), the provider may spend time talking with your adolescent and you together, as well as with your adolescent alone. Our confidential time spent talking with your teen about sensitive topics helps them feel safe and comfortable. If safety concerns arise during this time, we will share them with you. Research shows that this approach helps us build trust with your teen, allowing them to ask questions openly and engage in honest discussion.
In line with national guidelines, during the confidential part of their appointment we may also provide screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), pregnancy testing, and treatments and medications, such as contraception. We recommend universal, age based STI screening starting at about age 15 years, regardless of sexual activity. We collect a urine sample from all patients when checking in to use for indicated screening or testing.
While parents and guardians are welcome at every appointment, adolescents may come to appointments alone after their first visit.
After Your Visit with Adolescent Gynecology
After your teen's appointment, they can read the "After Visit Summary" (AVS) on MyChart. If they do not use MyChart, we can print an AVS for them. The AVS will not contain confidential information. This summary will include details on any medicines they need to take, as well as future appointments. If you or your adolescent have any questions before their next appointment, we encourage you to contact us.
