Important considerations in adolescent health maintenance: long-acting reversible contraception, human papillomavirus vaccination, and heavy menstrual bleeding.
The present article addresses recent research related to three key facets of adolescent preventive care and health maintenance: long-acting reversible contraception, human papillomavirus vaccination, and heavy menstrual bleeding.



Recent studies suggest that long-acting reversible contraception use results in significantly lower rates of unintended pregnancies, and is well tolerated by nulliparous adolescent females. Additionally, a strong recommendation from a pediatric primary care provider is extremely effective in ensuring human papillomavirus vaccination prior to sexual debut. Finally, heavy menstrual bleeding is often under-recognized in adolescents, and evaluation and treatment of these patients are variable.



Based on the recent literature findings, the pediatric primary care provider should be encouraged to, first, recommend long-acting reversible contraception for prevention of unintended pregnancy in adolescent patients; second, strongly endorse vaccination to protect against human papillomavirus in all patients prior to sexual debut; and, third, screen adolescent females for signs and symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding.
aDepartment of Pediatrics, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children bDrexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania cDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Nicola
N
Brodie
Elizabeth A
EA
Silberholz
Nancy D
ND
Spector
Amy E
AE
Pattishall
D000293:Adolescent; D000067697:Adolescent Health; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000075523:Long-Acting Reversible Contraception / Q000379:methods; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000379:methods*
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines