PEDIATRICS Vol. 87 No. 5 May 1991, pp. 722-725
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by JOHNSON, C. F.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by JOHNSON, C. F.

Prolapse of the Urethra: Confusion of Clinical and Anatomic Characteristics With Sexual Abuse

CHARLES F. JOHNSON MD1

1 Child Abuse Program, Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH

Sexual abuse is common; in one survey,1 38% of females reported an experience of sexual abuse before 18 years of age. Despite the increasing number of reports,2 there is evidence that many physicians are unable to recognize normal female prepubertal genital anatomy and deviations from it. In one study,3 41% of physicians were unable to recognize the hymen on a photograph of the genitalia; 50% of physicians said that they examined the genitalia more than 50% of the time. An inability to firmly establish a diagnosis of abuse is one reason given by physicians for not reporting their suspicions.4 A lack of familiarity with the genital anatomy of normal preadolescent females and the manifestations of trauma to and infection of the genitalia and rectum may cause physicians to misdiagnose sexual abuse.

Submitted on December 14, 1989
Accepted on June 26, 1990




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
G. M. French and C. F. Johnson
Genital Bleeding: Two Uncommon Causes in Patients Referred to a Sexual Abuse Clinic
Clinical Pediatrics, January 1, 1994; 33(1): 38 - 41.
[PDF]