You are working at an outpatient family medicine clinic with Dr. Hill. She has asked you to interview and examine Savannah, a 16-year-old who has come in for a routine sports physical before the softball season begins. Her mother, Leslie, accompanies her.

Dr. Hill informs you, “This is one of the special aspects I love about family medicine: I have cared for Savannah and her entire family since I helped Leslie deliver Savannah 16 years ago!”

She continues, “Today, in addition to performing a pre-participation physical examination, I would like to use this opportunity to perform prevention screening and counseling. Perhaps the most important ‘screening’ issue is the medical interview and developing a safe and trusting doctor-patient relationship. Since this can sometimes be challenging with adolescents, I have found it helpful to organize my interview around the adolescent interviewing mnemonic, HEEADSSS.”

Logistically, you both decide that it would probably be best to begin the history with Savannah’s mother present and then delve into more of the interview after she has been invited to the waiting room during the conclusion of the visit.

TEACHING POINT

HEEADSSS Adolescent Interview

Pre-participation exams are a great opportunity for prevention and counseling, as otherwise healthy adolescents may not come in for this routinely.

HEEADSSS covers the following issues:

· Home

· Education / Employment

· Eating

· Activities

· Drugs

· Sexuality

· Suicide / Depression

· Safety / Violence

Remember that in caring for adolescents, every effort should be made to encourage the patient to involve parents in their health care decisions. Nevertheless, teens have a right to be interviewed and examined without a parent or guardian in the room.

Dr. Hill reminds you, “Along with the psychosocial medical interview, we will want to consider prevention screening. First, you need to decide whether a screening test is worth ordering. 
 has taken the qualities of a good screening test into account when they make recommendations of what screening tests we should do. Let’s take chlamydia for example and look online together and see what they have to say about chlamydia screening in a 16-year-old, such as Savannah.”

TEACHING POINT

Chlamydia: Epidemiology, Course of Disease, and Screening Recommendations

Epidemiology

Chlamydial infection is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the United States. In 2007, more than 1.1 million chlamydia cases were reported to the CDC. It is thought that another million cases of chlamydia remain unreported.

Course of disease

Chlamydia is often insidious and asymptomatic. In women, genital chlamydial infection may result in urethritis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. Chlamydial infection during pregnancy is related to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage, premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, low birth weight, and infant mortality.

Screening recommendations

The USPSTF found fair evidence that nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) can identify chlamydial infection in asymptomatic men and women, including asymptomatic pregnant women, with high test specificity. In low prevalence populations, however, a positive test is more likely to be a false positive than a true positive, even with the most accurate tests available.

TEACHING POINT

Qualities of a Good Screening Test

1. The condition should be an important health problem and the condition screened for must have a high prevalence in the population.

2. There should be a latent stage of the disease.

3. There should also be effective treatment for the condition being screened.

4. Facilities for diagnosis and treatment should be available.

5. There should be a test or examination for the condition.

6. The test should be acceptable to the population and the total cost of finding a case should be economically balanced in relation to medical expenditure as a whole. The potential benefits of early detection and treatment of a condition need to be weighed against many factors, including adverse side effects of the screening test, time and effort required (of both the patient and the health care system) to take the test, financial cost of the test, potential psychological and physical harm of false positive results (such as labeling and overtreatment), and adverse effects of the treatment.

7. The natural history of the disease should be adequately understood.

8. There should be an agreed policy on whom to treat.

9. Case-finding should be a continuous process, not just a “once and for all” project.

10. An effective screening test should have very good sensitivity (identify most or all potential cases) and specificity (label incorrectly as few as possible as potential cases). Even a test with a sensitivity of 95% will lead to many false positives when the prevalence of the condition is very low.

Question

According to USPSTF, of the groups listed below, who should be screened for chlamydia? Select all that apply.

 All sexually active women under 25 years AND All sexually active women 25 years or older who are at high risk

After discussing preventive screening, you and Dr. Hill review the sports pre-participation questionnaire that Savannah filled out in the waiting room.

Then, Dr. Hill tells you, “I think you are ready to go meet Savannah and her mother.”

You enter the room and see Savannah, a tall, athletic, 16-year-old, sitting with her mother.

You introduce yourself and explain, “Dr. Hill and I have been reviewing your sports pre-participation questionnaire together.

Would it be okay if I begin talking with you today, before Dr. Hill comes in?”

“Of course.”

“Also, after the three of us spend some time talking together, I am going to take some time to talk with Savannah alone. Is this okay?”

“Yes. Dr. Hill has always been very good about taking time to talk with Savannah without me, so I’ll just step out for a bit.”

After reviewing and confirming the questionnaire as well as completing a brief medical history, you find that Savannah has no health problems that would limit participation in softball this year. To help put Savannah at ease, you talk with her a bit and discuss her hopes of being selected for the pitching rotation and batting higher in the order.

You then turn to Leslie and ask, “Would you mind if I speak with Savannah alone for a few minutes?” Leslie excuses herself from the room. With the HEEADSSS mnemonic in mind, you continue your conversation with Savannah.

“So, besides softball, tell me about school?”

“I’m having trouble with math, but I’m making mostly B’s and C’s in the other subjects. I’m going to try to get a softball scholarship at the junior college, and then maybe get a nursing degree.”

“Oh, really? What got you interested in nursing?”

“My younger brother has asthma and has been in the hospital a lot. He’s fine now, but I guess I just got interested in the medical field from helping my mom take care of him.”

“What do you and your friends do for fun?”

“Hmm … we mostly play softball and basketball. And sometimes we go to the mall in town.”

“Do any of your friends use drugs or alcohol?”

“Some have tried alcohol at parties. Not really any drugs. I don’t smoke either, but several of my friends do.”

During continued conversation, Savannah mentions several of her friends have begun to smoke cigarettes, but she does not like the taste of them. Similarly, neither she nor her female friends have experimented with dietary supplements or steroids, although she does know some on the baseball team that have tried them. She maintains a healthy diet and feels satisfied with her current weight and shape.

“Do you have a romantic relationship with anyone?”

“Yeah, I have been dating one of the baseball players for the past two years.”

“Has the relationship become sexual?”

“Yes. You don’t have to tell my mom this, do you?”

You explain to Savannah that everything here is confidential, while encouraging her to discuss things like this with her mother.

Savannah goes on to describe two other male sexual partners and says that she uses condoms “most of the time” but reports no other methods of contraception. She admits that the possibility of pregnancy worries her. She has had no sexually transmitted infections that she knows of.

“In this relationship or others, have you ever been pressured to do something sexually that you didn’t want to do?”

“No. Not really … I mean … I guess I would’ve preferred to take things slower in this relationship, what with our athletic and college goals and all, but I can’t say I was forced into sex.”

You then ask Savannah if she has any further questions and excuse yourself while she changes clothes for the physical exam.

On your way out the door, you remember that the preventive exam is an important opportunity to update immunizations. You tell Savannah, “By the way, Dr. Hill may recommend some shots today.” She responds with a groan, but she nods her head in assent.

In the hallway, while waiting to present Savannah’s interview to Dr. Hill, you review her immunization record.

Vaccine	Dose 1 date	Dose 2 date	Dose 3 date	Dose 4 date	Dose 5 date	Dose 6 date	Total doses
DTP, DTAP, DT, TD, TDAP	11/07/2003	01/15/2004	03/05/2004	12/21/2004	10/04/2007		5
IPV	11/07/2003	01/15/2004	03/05/2004	10/04/2007			4
Hib (Under age 5)	11/07/2003	01/15/2004	03/05/2004	09/09/2004			4
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)	09/09/2004	10/04/2007					2
Varicella	10/04/2007						1
Hep A	09/04/2015	04/01/2016					2
Hep B	09/05/2003	11/07/2003	03/05/2004				3
HPV	09/04/2015	03/05/2016					2
MCV or MPSV
PCV 13	11/07/2003	01/15/2004	03/05/2004	12/21/2004			4
Rotavirus	01/15/2004	03/05/2004					2

You also take a moment to look over the 
 for persons aged 7 through 18 years in the U.S. on your computer.

For more information on immunizations, visit: 

Question

Which immunizations would be appropriate to administer to her at this time? When reviewing the immunization record, assume that it is fall 2019 and Savannah is 16 years old. Select all that apply. Meningococcal (MCV)

Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) Varicella

You find Dr. Hill and present the interview and relevant findings, including your recommendations for Tdap, MCV, and varicella. You and Dr. Hill also conclude that as a sexually active woman under 24, she should be screened for chlamydia.

Dr. Hill praises you, “The adolescent interview can be challenging. You obviously developed a rapport with Savannah and conducted a thorough adolescent interview. How about if we go in together now and do the physical exam?”

After greeting Savannah, Dr. Hill walks you through a routine preparticipation sports physical exam. After she has finished the exam, Dr. Hill says, “Your examination shows that you are healthy. I have a few follow-up questions before your mom comes back in.”

“I understand that you are involved in a relationship. Have you ever felt any pressure to do something sexually, on a date or otherwise, that you didn’t want to do?”

“No.”

Dr. Hill replies, “Well, if you ever feel unsafe or pressured, please don’t hesitate to contact me or my nurse. Anything you tell us is confidential. “Also, I would encourage you to speak with your mother about this relationship, if you feel comfortable. I’ve known you both for a long time, and I think that she would be an understanding mentor in this relationship.”

“I would like to recommend a few more things to you. Even though you haven’t had a sexually transmitted infection before, it is recommended that we test you for chlamydia.”

“Can we do that another day? I wasn’t expecting to have a female exam today.”

Dr. Hill replies, “Actually, that’s a good point. We can definitely defer your female pelvic exam and Pap test until you are 21 or until something else arises requiring this exam. We can, however, test for chlamydia with a urine sample.”

“Last question: have you considered using any form of birth control?”

“Yes, I’ve often thought about taking the pill. Are there other options I should know about?”

After discussing various options of birth control, Savannah indicates that she wants to start Depo-Provera because it will be easier than “remembering to take pills every day,” but wants the chance to go home and discuss things with her mother first. She plans to schedule her follow-up visit with you in a week, and will let you know her final decision then.

You refer her to 
 for more information on contraceptive options.

You let Savannah know that she needs three vaccines today, and that the varicella vaccine is a live, attenuated vaccine and ideally would feature a one-month period before she conceived, so the birth control discussion really is important and relevant. You also mention that if her plans change and she decides to not start depo, the chances of her becoming pregnant are higher and in that case, she may want to consider taking a daily prenatal vitamin.

After bringing Savannah’s mother, Leslie, back for an update on the sports physical and the immunizations, the visit is concluded. Savannah plans to call for a follow-up visit after talking with her mother.

TEACHING POINT

Adolescent Health Counseling and Screening: Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infection and Unintended Pregnancy

Counsel all sexually active adolescents regarding contraception.

· Options include: oral contraceptives, medroxyprogesterone (Depo-Provera) injections, long-acting reversible contraceptives such as implantable options and IUDs, as well as the vaginal ring (NuvaRing)

· Remind patients these options do not protect against sexually transmitted infections

· Discuss condoms and abstinence

· Discuss emergency contraception

· Recommend folic acid supplementation to prevent neural tube defects in the event of pregnancy

· Two weeks later, Savannah returns to discuss her first Depo-Provera injection and chlamydia screening. When you go to see her, you notice Savannah is alone. You greet her and catch up a bit, and then you turn your attention to the ob-gyn and menstrual history.

· “When did you begin having periods?

· “I was 13 years old.”

· “How long do they usually last?”

· “They usually last three days and aren’t very heavy. I don’t have as much cramping as some people do.”

· “When was your last normal menstrual period?”

· “Five weeks ago.”

· “Is that unusual for you, to miss a period?”

· “Yes. I am very regular. I have periods every month. Do you think that I could be pregnant?”

· You respond, “Well, missing a period is certainly one of the first signs of pregnancy, but that could be caused by several other things, too. Why don’t you tell me a few more things, then let me get Dr. Hill and we’ll ask her what the next step is. Then we’ll get a urine pregnancy test. Does that sound okay?”

· Savannah nods in agreement.

· Before leaving the room, you instruct her to not get changed because Dr. Hill may want to talk with her before she gets undressed.

Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy

Amenorrhea with fatigue, nausea, and/or vomiting as well as breast changes, including tenderness, are the classic presentations of pregnancy.

Urinary frequency can also occur. Although urinary frequency can be a normal symptom of pregnancy, the possibility of a UTI in a pregnant woman should also be considered.

Softening of the cervix is known as Goodell’s sign, while softening of the uterus is known as Hegar’s sign.

The bluish-purple hue in the cervix and vaginal walls is known as Chadwick’s sign and is caused by hyperemia.

Enlargement of the uterus can be detected by an experienced examiner as early as 8 weeks on bimanual exam. Around 12 weeks, the uterine fundus can be palpated above the symphysis pubis. Between 20 to 36 weeks of gestation, the uterine enlargement, measured in centimeters, approximates gestational age and will become a routinely elicited physical exam finding.

Fetal heart tones are typically elicited by hand-held Doppler between 10-12 weeks gestation.

Fetal movement or “quickening” is detected by the mother around 18-20 weeks of gestation.

Unfortunately, the menstrual history is not an entirely reliable indicator of pregnancy. Only 68% of pregnant adolescents report having missed a menses. Conversely, not every adolescent who misses a menses is pregnant because anovulatory cycles are normal in the early postmenarcheal years. Bleeding can occur in early pregnancy around the time of the missed menses as a result of an invasion of the trophoblast into the decidua (implantation bleed). Some adolescents mistake this bleeding for a menses, leading to a delay in diagnosis of pregnancy and potential misdating of the pregnancy. We should also remember that young women who have not yet menstruated, but are sexually active, may be at risk for pregnancy because ovulation can occasionally occur before the first menstrual period.

After you update Dr. Hill on the interval history, you return to the exam room together.

Dr. Hill Greets Savannah:

“I heard about some of your concerns. How are you feeling?”

“I’m pretty nervous, Dr. Hill. I haven’t had intercourse since we talked. Really! Do you think that I could be pregnant?”

“It’s quite understandable and normal that you feel nervous under the circumstances. While pregnancy is one of the possibilities, that is not the only reason; therefore, I need to ask you a few more questions. Then, we can address your concerns and we can discuss management options. Would that be okay with you?”

“Yes, that would be great!”

“Have you had had any morning sickness or breast tenderness?”

“Yes, and I’ve just felt more tired than usual.”

“Savannah, after we last talked, did you ever talk to your mother or your father about your sexual relationship?”

“Yeah, and that’s the thing. The conversation didn’t go bad, it was just so intense. I can’t imagine turning around and telling them that I’m pregnant.”

“Does your partner know that you missed your period?”

“Oh, no. That’s going to be worse.”

“Do you feel safe in your relationship?”

“Oh, yes. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Alright, I just wanted to be sure. You can always feel safe to share anything with me. So, listen, let’s take this a step at a time. First, why don’t you give me a urine sample so we can run a pregnancy test on it. We will also test your urine sample for chlamydia like we planned on doing. Then, we’ll have some information that we can sit down and review together.

Do you want your mother here for any part of this?”

You and Dr. Hill wait in the hall while Savannah collects a urine sample for the urinary human chorionic gonadotropin (UCG) testing and a urine PCR for chlamydia, and then returns to the exam room.

When the nurse hands you the results of the test, you accompany Dr. Hill back into the examination room.

Dr. Hill begins: “Savannah, your urine pregnancy test is positive, indicating that you are pregnant.”

Savannah asks,

“How far along am I?”

“Based on the last normal menstrual period that you gave me, you are most likely about five weeks pregnant. This means that you would have conceived about three weeks ago.”

“What are my options?”

“I know that this is a difficult time for you, and you have several options. You can certainly choose to continue the pregnancy and raise the baby. You can also create an adoption plan and allow someone else to be parents. It is also possible to end your pregnancy now.”

“What is the procedure if I want to end the pregnancy?”

“If you decide to end or terminate your pregnancy, you have two options.

1. The first option is medication, which involves a two-step process—the first pill is taken in the office, and you probably wouldn’t feel any different after taking it. The second medication is taken at home, usually one or two days later. Within a couple of hours after taking the second medication, cramping and heavy bleeding then occur, for a couple of hours. About a week later, you would have a follow-up appointment to make sure everything is all right.

2. The second option is aspiration; a doctor uses special instruments in your vagina and uterus to remove embryo and the other tissue supporting the pregnancy. You would have a follow-up appointment a week or two later to be sure everything is okay.”

“You said there are options if I decide to keep the baby?”

“That’s right. You are a strong and healthy young woman and could certainly continue this pregnancy and raise the baby, even as a single mother. I’ve always known your parents as very supportive. I don’t know your boyfriend, but you might consider talking with him. News of a pregnancy may change him in ways that might surprise you. And many people also make an adoption plan, allowing another family to care for and raise the baby. All of these are options.”

“What is the baby like right now? Is an abortion still legal at this point?”

“Well, assuming that your last menstrual period was accurate, you are about five weeks pregnant. What is it like? Well, this is the beginning of what is called the embryo stage, which lasts about a month. The embryo at this stage is about an eighth of an inch in size and most likely has an embryologic heartbeat. The brain and spinal cord are developing during this stage. Yes, an abortion is legal up to 22 weeks of pregnancy.”

TEACHING POINT

Reproductive Choice Counseling

· Continue the pregnancy…

…and raise the child.

…and create an adoption plan.

· Terminate the pregnancy…

…medically

…surgically

Abortion restrictions in the U.S. vary state to state, as shown here:

TEACHING POINT

Calculating Estimated Gestational Age

Calculating the estimated gestational age (EGA) based on the last normal menstrual period (LNMP). Calculating the EGA in this manner is not only convenient but ubiquitous in clinical practice. Keep in mind, however, that the actual embryonic age (e.g., the age of the fetus since the date of conception) will typically be approximately two weeks less than the clinically calculated EGA based upon the LNMP.

The other calculation used in clinical practice—which patients care a great deal about—is the estimated due date.

Calculating the estimated due date (EDD—sometimes referred to as the estimated date of confinement or EDC) from the last menstrual period is a relatively simple process that can be done with an obstetric “wheel”, with an electronic calculator (e.g., 
 ) or using Naegele’s Rule.

Naegele’s Rule is commonly described as starting with the first day of the last normal menstrual period, then:

· add 1 year

· subtract 3 months

· add 1 week

For example, if a patient’s LNMP was 7/10/2009, then:

· 7/10/2010 (+1 yr)

· 4/10/2010 (-3 mo)

· 4/17/2010 (+1 wk)

Thus, the EDD is 4/17/2010.

There are a variety of error corrections to Naegele’s Rule and other ways to calculate the EDD in the first trimester that will be discussed later.

Dr. Hill says, “I can appreciate that you are in a difficult situation. Nevertheless, I think it is wise for you not to jump into making any decisions right this moment. I recommend that you take time to consider all of your options. It is a good idea for you to go home and talk to your parents and your boyfriend about this. Do you feel comfortable doing that?”

Savannah responds, “Yes, they will be upset, but I can talk to them.”

Dr. Hill continues, “Please feel free to call me if you have any questions. Even though I know that you are overwhelmed, you aren’t the first young woman to be in a similar situation. I can point you toward some people that can help and also to some good resources if you would like more information. I would like you to come back in one week. You can bring your parents or your boyfriend if you like, and we will discuss your options further then, when you have had a chance to think about things. All right?”

Savannah, although initially shaken, now appears reassured. She nods her head in agreement.

Dr. Hill concludes, “In the meantime, it is recommended to do a few blood tests today, just to make sure you don’t have any sexually transmitted infections like HIV, or other types of diseases that could affect pregnancy. Additionally, should you decide to continue your pregnancy, I would recommend taking a prenatal vitamin. Do you have any questions for me?”

Savannah replies, “No, that’s fine. Oh, and Dr. Hill. One more thing. The handout for the chickenpox vaccine said that I should not take the vaccine if I was planning on getting pregnant within the next month. I wasn’t planning on this. But what could happen to the baby? Why would they warn us about this?”

Dr. Hill replies, “That’s a good question, Savannah. Although a case of a birth defect in a fetus caused by the mother receiving the varicella vaccine has never been documented, getting the actual chickenpox illness naturally while pregnant has been attributed to some birth defects. So we are just really cautious. You don’t need to do anything. It is routine for us to report this to the health department. But I wouldn’t give this any more thought than this, okay?”

Savannah, “Fair enough. Thanks.”

Dr. Hill fills out a lab slip and hands it to Savannah. After you have directed her to the lab, she heads out.

About one week later, the nurse, Mary, tells you, “Savannah called earlier complaining of vaginal bleeding. She said that she was not hurting, but she sounded worried. After talking with her I didn’t get the impression that her bleeding warranted going to the emergency room. I told her to go ahead and come here first. When Dr. Hill comes out of that room, tell her I’m going to go ahead and have Savannah in a gown. Oh, her mother is with her today too.”

As you are waiting on Dr. Hill, the nurse brings you Savannah’s labs from last week.

Labs

· CBC (WBC 8.4 x 103/mm3, Hgb 12.7 g/dl, Hct 37.4%, Plt 270)

· Rubella immune

· Hepatitis B surface antigen negative

· Blood type: O negative, Rh antibody negative

· RPR non-reactive

· HIV negative

· Gonorrhea / chlamydia PCR negative

A few moments later, Dr. Hill joins you and comments: “Obviously, I am concerned about this bleeding, but before we delve off into searching for the differential diagnosis and pathophysiological source, let’s remember some fundamentals. Two of the most urgent pieces of information about first-trimester bleeding are contained in the vital signs.”

Vital signs:

· Temperature is 37.2 C (99 F)

· Pulse is 85 beats/minute

· Blood pressure is 98/66 mmHg

You and Dr. Hill greet Savannah and her mother, Leslie. Dr. Hill begins:

“How have you been, Savannah?”

“I’m okay, but I’ve been bleeding since Sunday.”

“How many pads have you had to change?”

“Only two or three per day, but I have noticed some clots. Is this bad?”

Leslie interjects, “Doctor, we are worried that this is a miscarriage. How will we know and is there anything that we can do?”

“I understand that is a concern. You should know that some sort of bleeding is relatively common during the first trimester. Incidentally, bleeding does not necessarily mean that you are having a miscarriage.”

Dr. Hill continues, “However, before I can give you a more educated answer about what may be the source of your bleeding, I need to ask you a few more questions, perform a brief examination, and perhaps obtain some diagnostic lab work and imaging.”

“Have you had any pain or cramping with this episode of bleeding?”

“Some. It has not been severe.”

“Have you fainted or been dizzy?”

“No.”

“Okay, Savannah, I am going to need to do a pelvic exam in order to gather all the information we need to assess what is happening. I am going to insert a small plastic instrument called a speculum into your vagina to begin the pelvic examination. This instrument will allow me to see your cervix. Then, I will then use my gloved hand and examine your vagina, womb, and ovaries directly. If you are hurting or uncomfortable at any point, I want you to let me know. Are you ready?”

Savannah nods her head.

After washing her hands and applying gloves, Dr. Hill then approaches the patient as she described above and proceeds to a focused and appropriate physical exam.

Physical Exam

· General: …