You are seeing a 15-year-old female patient for a gynecological exam and to explore birth control options. The patient’s mother scheduled the appointment after learning that her daughter has become sexually active. The patient is current with all immunizations, including Gardasil, and has no significant health history that would contraindicate the use of birth control. This is the patient’s first gynecological exam, and she expresses feeling nervous and embarrassed that her mother has shared her sexual experience with strangers. Taking this into account, how would you begin the patient encounter? As you begin asking questions to determine the patient’s gynecological history, the patient appears frustrated and embarrassed and reminds you that she has only had sex one time. What should the patient understand about the importance of reviewing gynecological history? What are the most popular birth control methods prescribed in the United States? What determines the success or failure of a birth control method? The patient expresses a desire for the most effective form of birth control but is concerned about weight gain and other side effects. How should you respond to her concerns?
