Reproductive Health and Fertility in Transition Clinic for Liver Transplant Patients

Uyen¹* and Alla Vash-Margita²

Received: February 12, 2019;   Published: February 19, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/CTGH.2018.01.000126

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Short Communication

The transition of an adolescent into adulthood is fraught with complexity under the best of circumstances. Misinformation or a lack of medical knowledge during this critical time can place young adults in a position to develop risky behaviors. However, simple well-timed educational interventions can foster healthy, informed decisions which can last a lifetime. Adolescents who have undergone pediatric liver transplantation are a subgroup of teenagers at a particularly elevated risk, in part due to their immunosuppression and comorbid conditions, during this time of developing personal autonomy. As these patients begin to develop and establish their personal and reproductive identities, they may also have limited understanding of the long-term consequences of their decisions about reproductive health, contraception, and sexual activity. A national survey of adult transplant hepatologists showed that only 46% of patients who were transitioned from pediatric to adult care understood their underlying condition [1]. Furthermore, only 15% of transplant programs have a formal transition clinic [1]. The establishment of a transition clinic has been shown to improve medication adherence, laboratory testing and visit follow up. It also allows for patients to be able to understand the impact of their condition on their life including their sexual and reproductive health [1,2]. One of the barriers that adult hepatologists encounter in transitioning patients from pediatric to adult practice is a lack of training in adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Incorporating a gynecologist with expertise in adolescent health into the transition clinic can be helpful to address this deficit.

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