Tanner Staging
Definition
A scale assessing pubertal development based on secondary sexual characteristics. SANEs record Tanner stage because it affects the interpretation of anogenital anatomy and guides which examination techniques are appropriate.
- Stages
- I to V, from prepubertal to adult
- Basis
- Breast/genital development plus pubic hair
- Originator
- James Tanner
- Use in SANE exam
- Documented alongside anogenital findings
Common questions
Why does Tanner stage matter to a sexual assault exam?+
Anogenital anatomy changes with pubertal development. Estrogenization thickens and desensitizes the hymen, so a finding that would be significant in a prepubertal child may be a normal variant in a Tanner IV or V adolescent. Recording the stage lets the examiner interpret findings against the correct developmental baseline.
Is Tanner staging done by direct genital inspection alone?+
It is usually estimated from external secondary sexual characteristics such as breast and pubic hair development, without a separate invasive assessment. Self-report or photograph-based staging is also used in some research and clinical contexts.
Related terms
- Anogenital Findings
- Clinical observations of the anal and genital area recorded during the examination. They may include injury (lacerations, bruising, abrasions), normal anatomical variation,...
- Colposcopy
- Magnified examination and photographic documentation of the anogenital area using a colposcope. In the SANE context it is primarily a documentation tool,...
- Hymenal Nomenclature
- The standardised anatomical language for describing hymenal configuration, location of findings, and the clock-face reference system (e.g., 6 o'clock, 3 o'clock) used...
- Safety Planning
- A collaborative process in which the nurse and patient identify practical steps to reduce immediate danger: documents to keep accessible, people to...
- Trauma-Informed Care
- A framework recognising that trauma physically changes how people process experience and communicate, so clinical interactions should maximise the patient's sense of...