The pediatrician and the sexually active adolescent. Treatment of common menstrual disorders.

Menstrual disorders in adolescents are a common medical problem. For young adolescents, the onset of menses is a time of dramatic physical and psychological change. Providing education to young women regarding the normal process of puberty helps ease some of the anxiety regarding this change. Health professionals can participate in the education of young women by defining the normal process of puberty and menstruation. Menstrual disorders, such as dysmenorrhea, irregularities in menstrual flow, and premenstrual symptoms, can be effectively diagnosed and treated in the adolescent population.