The Pediatric Clinician’s Approach to Adolescent Reproductive Health in Females with Sickle Cell Disease

Eugenia Vicky Asare; William Kwesi Ghunney; Samuel Antwi Oppong

doi:10.1016/j.pcl.2025.08.012

The Pediatric Clinician’s Approach to Adolescent Reproductive Health in Females with Sickle Cell Disease

Eugenia Vicky Asare
, William Kwesi Ghunney
, Samuel Antwi Oppong

Department of Obstetrics And Gynaecology

Ghana Institute of Clinical Genetics
Korle Bu Teaching Hospital
University of Ghana

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

With improvements in health care, most females with sickle cell disease (SCD) are surviving into adolescence and adulthood. Delayed onset menarche, increased risk of acute vaso-occlusive pain associated with menstruation and dysmenorrhea, and increased odds of pregnancy-related complications are prevalent in females with SCD. Significant knowledge gaps exist in the management of reproductive health issues in adolescent females with SCD. This article highlights the pediatric clinicians’ approach to essential reproductive health issues such as menarche, acute vaso-occlusive pain temporarily associated with menstruation and dysmenorrhea, and pregnancy in adolescent females with SCD.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	119-130
Number of pages	12
Journal	Pediatric Clinics of North America
Volume	73
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2025.08.012
Publication status	Published - Feb 2026

Keywords

Acute vaso-occlusive pain temporarily associated with menstruation (acute VOPAM)
Adolescent care in sickle cell disease
Dysmenorrhea in sickle cell disease
Menarche in sickle cell disease
Pregnancy in adolescents with sickle cell disease

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10.1016/j.pcl.2025.08.012

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title = "The Pediatric Clinician{\textquoteright}s Approach to Adolescent Reproductive Health in Females with Sickle Cell Disease",

abstract = "With improvements in health care, most females with sickle cell disease (SCD) are surviving into adolescence and adulthood. Delayed onset menarche, increased risk of acute vaso-occlusive pain associated with menstruation and dysmenorrhea, and increased odds of pregnancy-related complications are prevalent in females with SCD. Significant knowledge gaps exist in the management of reproductive health issues in adolescent females with SCD. This article highlights the pediatric clinicians{\textquoteright} approach to essential reproductive health issues such as menarche, acute vaso-occlusive pain temporarily associated with menstruation and dysmenorrhea, and pregnancy in adolescent females with SCD.",

keywords = "Acute vaso-occlusive pain temporarily associated with menstruation (acute VOPAM), Adolescent care in sickle cell disease, Dysmenorrhea in sickle cell disease, Menarche in sickle cell disease, Pregnancy in adolescents with sickle cell disease",

author = "Asare, \{Eugenia Vicky\} and Ghunney, \{William Kwesi\} and Oppong, \{Samuel Antwi\}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.pcl.2025.08.012",

language = "English",

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AU - Asare, Eugenia Vicky

AU - Ghunney, William Kwesi

AU - Oppong, Samuel Antwi

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - With improvements in health care, most females with sickle cell disease (SCD) are surviving into adolescence and adulthood. Delayed onset menarche, increased risk of acute vaso-occlusive pain associated with menstruation and dysmenorrhea, and increased odds of pregnancy-related complications are prevalent in females with SCD. Significant knowledge gaps exist in the management of reproductive health issues in adolescent females with SCD. This article highlights the pediatric clinicians’ approach to essential reproductive health issues such as menarche, acute vaso-occlusive pain temporarily associated with menstruation and dysmenorrhea, and pregnancy in adolescent females with SCD.

AB - With improvements in health care, most females with sickle cell disease (SCD) are surviving into adolescence and adulthood. Delayed onset menarche, increased risk of acute vaso-occlusive pain associated with menstruation and dysmenorrhea, and increased odds of pregnancy-related complications are prevalent in females with SCD. Significant knowledge gaps exist in the management of reproductive health issues in adolescent females with SCD. This article highlights the pediatric clinicians’ approach to essential reproductive health issues such as menarche, acute vaso-occlusive pain temporarily associated with menstruation and dysmenorrhea, and pregnancy in adolescent females with SCD.

KW - Acute vaso-occlusive pain temporarily associated with menstruation (acute VOPAM)

KW - Adolescent care in sickle cell disease

KW - Dysmenorrhea in sickle cell disease

KW - Menarche in sickle cell disease

KW - Pregnancy in adolescents with sickle cell disease

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U2 - 10.1016/j.pcl.2025.08.012

DO - 10.1016/j.pcl.2025.08.012

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:105018970184

SN - 0031-3955

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JO - Pediatric Clinics of North America

JF - Pediatric Clinics of North America

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The Pediatric Clinician’s Approach to Adolescent Reproductive Health in Females with Sickle Cell Disease

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Keywords

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