Three-year review of childhood and adolescent presentation in the gynaecological emergency unit of the Jos University Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Gynaecological problems in children and adolescents are often both medically and psychologically unique and require a highly skilled approach differing from those utilized from an adult female population. Gynaecological problems in childhood and adolescence constitute great levels of anxiety in parents. Most presentations are related to unprotected sexual intercourse and its complications. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and pattern of gynaecological problems in childhood and adolescence population in gynaecological emergency of JUTH.
Methods:This was a 3-year retrospective study of the records of childhood and adolescent presentation at gynaecological emergency of JUTH between 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2020. A proforma was used to extract information from the file records of all patients aged 1 month to 19 years seen at the gynaecological emergency of JUTH. Information on age and gynaecological condition diagnosis was extracted. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS statistics version 23.0.
Result:The hospital attended to 5025 emergency gynaecological cases over the 3-year period. Children and adolescents made up 133(2.6%) cases, of which (9.8%) were children and (90.2%) were adolescents. The commonest presentations were abortion (24.8%), of which induced abortion is the commonest (64%) form of abortion, and menstrual disorders (21.8%).
Conclusion:Childhood and adolescent gynaecological disorders constitute a significant number of emergency gynaecological presentations. There is a need for gynaecologists to acquaint themselves with the pattern of presentation of these disorders and promote the health of teenagers as this group is often misinformed. Additional attention is needed to safeguard their reproductive health.