title: Clinical Recommendation: Labial Adhesions.
abstract: Labial adhesions, also known as labial agglutination, are a common finding in prepubertal adolescents. They are defined as fusion of the labia minora in the midline or are termed vulvar adhesions when they occur below the labia minora (inner labia). Patients are often asymptomatic but might present with genitourinary complaints. The decision for treatment is based on symptoms. The mainstay of treatment in asymptomatic patients is conservative, with careful attention to vulvar hygiene and reassurance to parents. In symptomatic patients, topical treatment with estrogen and/or steroid cream is often curative. Less often, corrective surgery is necessary. Recurrence is common until a patient goes through puberty. These recommendations are intended for pediatric and gynecologic health care providers who care for pediatric and adolescent girls to facilitate diagnosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina.
authors.forename: Janice L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bacon
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tennessee. Electronic address: mary.romano@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Elisabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Quint
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents; D012008:Recurrence; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000628:therapy*; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Labial adhesions; Labial agglutination; Labial fusion; Pediatric gynecology; Vulvovaginal disorders; Vulvovaginitis