This is the current release of the guideline.

All clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.

Clinical Considerations for the Pediatrician

1. Encourage adolescents to postpone early sexual activity and encourage parents to educate their children and adolescents about sexual development, responsible sexuality, decision-making, and values.
2. Be sensitive to issues relating to adolescent sexuality and be prepared to obtain a developmentally appropriate confidential sexual history from all adolescent patients. Because medical complications are possible, offer confidential screenings for sexual activity and pregnancy risk as well as for sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk and abuse as a routine part of all adolescent care encounters.
3. Help ensure that all adolescents have knowledge of and access to contraception including barrier methods and emergency contraception supplies. As stated in the American Academy of Pediatric (AAP) policy statement "Folic Acid for the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects (AAP, 1999)," recommend folic acid supplementation for all women of childbearing age who are capable of becoming pregnant, especially sexually active women who do not plan to use effective contraception or abstain from sexual intercourse.
4. Encourage and participate in community efforts to delay onset of sexual activity and to prevent first and subsequent adolescent pregnancies and advocate for implementation and investments in evidence-based programs that provide comprehensive information and services to youth. These efforts may vary widely from one community to another but should be directed at the specific needs of youth in that community.
5. Be aware of options and resources for adolescents and advocate for comprehensive medical and psychosocial support for all pregnant adolescents in the community. When diagnosing pregnancy, discuss pregnancy options or refer the patient for counseling; discuss adoption, abortion, and prenatal care; and provide follow-up. Tailor prenatal care to the medical, social, nutritional, and educational needs of the adolescent and include child care and contraceptive information.
6. Assess the adolescent mother's abilities to care for her children and have resources available for referral and assistance before neonatal discharge.
7. Advocate for the inclusion of the adolescent mother's partner and/or father of her child in pregnancy and parenting programs when appropriate. These programs should provide access to education and vocational training, parenting skills classes, and contraceptive education.
8. Serve as a resource for the pregnant teenager and her infant, the teenager's family, and the father of the infant to ensure that optimal health care is obtained and appropriate support is provided.

None provided

The type of evidence supporting the recommendations is not specifically stated.

Not applicable: The guideline was not adapted from another source.

2005 Jul

American Academy of Pediatrics - Medical Specialty Society

American Academy of Pediatrics

Committee on Adolescence

Primary Author: Jonathan D. Klein, MD, MPH

Committee on Adolescence, 2003-2004: Jonathan D. Klein, MD, MPH, Chairperson; Michelle S. Barratt, MD, MPH; Margaret J. Blythe, MD; Angela Diaz, MD; David S. Rosen, MD, MPH; Charles J. Wibbelsman, MD

Liaisons: S. Paige Hertweck, MD, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Miriam Kaufman, RN, MD, Canadian Paediatric Society; Benjamin Shain, MD, PhD, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Staff: Karen S. Smith

Conflicts of interest are disclosed during the Pediatrics editorial submission process and via American Academy of Pediatrics procedure. If there are none stated, then no conflicts are identified or disclosed.

This is the current release of the guideline.

All clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.

None available

None available

This NGC summary was completed by ECRI on July 27, 2005. The information was verified by the guideline developer on August 23, 2005.

This NGC summary is based on the original guideline, which is subject to the guideline developer's copyright restrictions. Please contact the Permissions Editor, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), 141 Northwest Point Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007.