Here at Southdale Ob/Gyn, my partners and I are often asked: "When should my teenage daughter come in for her first gynecologic exam?" It's a question we love to hear, because we consider it a privilege to care for our patients' loved ones. Our goal is to make your daughter's first visit as stress-free, reassuring, and informative as possible! 

Our answer to the question depends on each young woman's individual circumstances, but the following are general guidelines for teenage and young adult gynecologic wellness care.   

Timing

Kaisa Schmitz's pregnancy had been completely normal. So at 39 weeks, Dr. Jon Jaqua's words were completely unexpected.  

 "He said: 'We have to induce. Today. Now,' " says Kaisa. "My husband was speechless. I started crying. We were blown away."

Kaisa knew she'd measured a bit small for the previous few weeks, but the ultrasound confirmed a critical situation: IUGR - Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Kaisa's baby was very small, and there was insufficient amniotic fluid. She and her husband were given two hours to go home, pack and report to Fairview Ridges for labor induction.

"I had never met Dr. Jaqua before that day," Kaisa says, "but I feel so blessed to have been scheduled with him that afternoon of our ultrasound."

Kaisa was first impressed by Dr. Jaqua's knowledge - and his ability to communicate. "During that first visit in the hospital, he answered every one of our questions," she says. "We were so nervous about our baby not being whole, mentally and physically. I'm a family medicine physician, so he talked to me on a physician's level, which was so nice, but he also could make my husband and my dad understand what was going on. And Dr. Jaqua always made us feel as if he had all the time in the world to spend with us."

Read More Here