Eduardo Lara-Torre, MD, FACOG on clinical pearls for adolescent gynecology

The transition from adolescent to adult reproductive healthcare is a vulnerable period where patients frequently "get lost in the mix." At the 2026 American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting in Washington, D.C., Eduardo Lara-Torre, MD, FACOG, pediatric gynecologist, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discussed the clinical necessity of creating structured pathways to ensure continuity of care during this phase.

The bridge between adolescent and adult medicine

One of the primary challenges in reproductive health is the discomfort some adult gynecologists feel when managing younger populations. Lara-Torre noted that pediatric and adolescent gynecology (PAG) offers a unique perspective because practitioners are trained to "hold our hands through the whole transition, from when we meet them around puberty until the time they need to have their pap smears or desire to conceive."

For clinicians who are not subspecialists, Lara-Torre emphasized that creating a successful pathway involves significant preparation but is supported by existing clinical tools. This is especially critical for patients with special needs who face compounded difficulties in accessing and transitioning care. He stressed the importance of "creating a pathway for them from when you see them the last time until they are picked up by a different provider. And how do you show them the concerns that they're going to have to address as these persons get older? I think that's critical."

Communication and environment: "They are not little adults"

Delivering effective care to adolescents requires more than just clinical knowledge; it necessitates a specialized approach to communication and the office environment. Because many young patients arrive at their first gynecological visit feeling "extremely uncomfortable," Lara-Torre advocates for a non-threatening office setting and a total departure from adult-centric communication styles.

"I think that you have to cater your communication, you got to cater your office staff in order to be able to provide a non threatening environment for this population," Lara-Torre explained. He warned against the common mistake of applying adult medical standards to younger patients. "So if I had to pick up a very important part of delivering care to this population is don't treat them as little adults they are not. You have to really modify how you talk to them," he asserted.