Location
Philadelphia, PA
Start Date
17-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Date
17-4-2026 2:30 PM
Description
Trauma-informed care (TIC) has emerged in recent years as a patient-centered culture of care delivery that emphasizes physical and psychological safety for all in the healthcare setting. Utilizing a TIC framework could be especially impactful in reproductive healthcare settings due to the invasiveness of certain examinations and the way trauma presents itself in these settings. Best practices in these settings include intentional and continuous confirmation of consent, appropriate and sensitive screening as a part of the gynecological visit, and prioritizing the patient’s autonomy through shared decision making. Principles can be integrated into all parts of internal and external pelvic examinations, which involve physical contact with the vagina and manipulation using the clinician’s fingers or a speculum. Emphasis on TIC with sensitive pelvic examination is gaining traction. Beginning around 50 years ago, sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) emerged as a specialized medical professional responsible for conducting sexual assault examinations and completing rape kits. We used a scoping review framework to examine the existing knowledge on TIC in reproductive healthcare settings with the goal of disseminating information about clinical implications for pelvic examinations. Eligible articles were located by searching databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar, and then relevant articles were reviewed and categorized by three coders. This project summarizes the current literature on trauma-informed care in reproductive healthcare settings, emphasizing the application of TIC in gynecological practice. Implications of this project are relevant for healthcare students and faculty, practicing clinicians and healthcare providers, and patients both with or without a trauma history.
Embargo Period
6-4-2026
Included in
The Trauma-Informed Gynecological Visit
Philadelphia, PA
Trauma-informed care (TIC) has emerged in recent years as a patient-centered culture of care delivery that emphasizes physical and psychological safety for all in the healthcare setting. Utilizing a TIC framework could be especially impactful in reproductive healthcare settings due to the invasiveness of certain examinations and the way trauma presents itself in these settings. Best practices in these settings include intentional and continuous confirmation of consent, appropriate and sensitive screening as a part of the gynecological visit, and prioritizing the patient’s autonomy through shared decision making. Principles can be integrated into all parts of internal and external pelvic examinations, which involve physical contact with the vagina and manipulation using the clinician’s fingers or a speculum. Emphasis on TIC with sensitive pelvic examination is gaining traction. Beginning around 50 years ago, sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) emerged as a specialized medical professional responsible for conducting sexual assault examinations and completing rape kits. We used a scoping review framework to examine the existing knowledge on TIC in reproductive healthcare settings with the goal of disseminating information about clinical implications for pelvic examinations. Eligible articles were located by searching databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar, and then relevant articles were reviewed and categorized by three coders. This project summarizes the current literature on trauma-informed care in reproductive healthcare settings, emphasizing the application of TIC in gynecological practice. Implications of this project are relevant for healthcare students and faculty, practicing clinicians and healthcare providers, and patients both with or without a trauma history.