For many adolescent girls, the first visit to a gynecologist is surrounded by anxiety, embarrassment, and misinformation. Stories shared among peers, exaggerated portrayals online, and a general lack of education about reproductive health often lead young patients to expect invasive exams or uncomfortable procedures. In reality, the first gynecologic visit is rarely about procedures. Instead, it represents one of the earliest opportunities in medicine to build trust, introduce preventive care, …

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Menstrual health is one of the most neglected aspects of adolescent care—especially for teens living in poverty. For these adolescents, getting a period doesn’t just mean discomfort—it means missing school, hiding pain, and facing daily choices between basic needs and menstrual products.

In both low- and high-income countries, period poverty is a quiet crisis. In the U.S., nearly one in five teens has missed school because they couldn’t afford menstrual products. …

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