Amenorrhea

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Amenorrhea, pronounced "a-men-or-re ah" meansabsent or no menstrual periods. If y'all haven't had your flow yet or you've missed a few periods, you're probably wondering what's going on with your torso.

What is amenorrhea?

Amenorrhea is considered a "menstrual status". At that place are 2 types of amenorrhea:principal andsecondary.

Primary amenorrhea is the term used when a young adult female has never had a menstruation. Most girls should go their periods between 9 and 15 years old or near 2 to three years after they notice that their breasts are developing.

Secondary amenorrhea is a term used when a immature woman has had a menstruation before, but stops having them. For example, your periods were regular for the first ii years after you lot started having them, and now they have not occurred in the past 3 months. Or your periods were irregular later on yous started having them, and now y'all take non had a menses for at least 6 months.

What causes amenorrhea?

There are many possible causes of amenorrhea, including the post-obit:

  • Pregnancy– If a female person is sexually active with a male person partner and she doesn't use contraception, or if her method of contraception has failed, amenorrhea could mean that she is significant.
  • Changes in weight –A girl who loses or gains a lot of weight may have no periods or skip periods. Weight changes may happen considering she does not accept the right balance of foods to keep her torso good for you or because she has a chronic affliction.
  • Matted eating– Many girls will develop amenorrhea if they are too thin or have an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia.
  • Exercise– Girls who participate in sports such as running or gymnastics may experience able-bodied amenorrhea. This can exist due to depression weight, weight loss, or stress. Even an athlete whose weight is normal may not be taking in enough nutrition to keep their body healthy, causing them to possibly skip periods.
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)– Girls with PCOS typically accept irregular menstrual cycles and excess hair growth or acne.
  • Obesity– Being overweight makes a girl more than likely to have irregular menstrual periods.
  • Endocrine bug– Low or high thyroid hormone, as well lilliputian or likewise much adrenal hormones such every bit cortisol, and too much prolactin, a hormone secreted past the pituitary gland in the brain, can cause irregular periods or amenorrhea. Loftier prolactin levels can too exist acquired by medications such as risperidone.
  • Chronic illness– Girls who have a chronic affliction such as Crohn'south disease, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, sickle disease, lupus, diabetes, and others may accept irregular menstrual periods or amenorrhea because of low weight, stress, or a flare in their illness.
  • Medications and herbs– Some medications can crusade amenorrhea. Be sure to tell your wellness intendance provider about ALL the medications and/or over-the-counter supplements and herbs that you may exist taking.
  • Ovary problems– Sometimes the ovaries do not brand plenty estrogen to crusade periods because of a genetic problem such as Turner syndrome, previous radiation or chemotherapy to treat a tumor, lack of plenty follicles in the ovary for the teen and adult years, and many other reasons. The condition is chosen primary ovarian insufficiencyand is treated with hormones to replace the estrogen that the ovaries usually make.
  • Congenital anomalies of the reproductive tract– A birth defect such as an underdeveloped or absent-minded uterus (the organ where menstrual blood comes from) can cause lack of periods. Although rare, if a teen girl is xv or older or started her breast evolution three years ago and doesn't have her period nevertheless, a congenital anomaly may be considered and an ultrasound may exist ordered past her wellness care provider to see if the uterus has developed. Other congenital anomalies may include an obstruction of the vagina, such as an imperforate hymen or absence of the lower vagina.
  • Nascence command (intrauterine devices (IUDs), implant, depot shot, continuous pills– Some birth command methods brand yous more likely to have no periods or skip periods. This is a normal side result of these medications (and is why some women prefer these types of birth control). You should talk to your health care provider if you are concerned virtually pregnancy or amenorrhea on birth control.

How is amenorrhea diagnosed?

Non having a period for more than than a couple of months may non be normal, and finding out why is important. Amenorrhea may be completely normal if you are on birth control, but you should check with your health care provider if this is an expected side effect of your birth control method. Diagnosis starts with having a pregnancy test and a medical evaluation past a health care provider (HCP).

The exam begins withreviewing your medical history.

For example, your HCP will likely ask the post-obit questions:

  • When did you starting time to go through puberty? When did y'all develop breasts, pubic hair?
  • Have yous ever had whatsoever vaginal bleeding?
  • When was your terminal menstrual flow?
  • Has your weight inverse?
  • Are you under stress or depressed?
  • Do you take any foods you do not consume? Have you tried to lose weight through restricting what you eat, vomiting, or using laxatives? How hard do y'all have to work at keeping your weight where y'all want it?
  • How much do you practise? What activities?
  • Practice y'all feel like you lot have more pilus on your face or abdomen than other women in your family unit?
  • Accept you ever had sexual contact or sexual intercourse?
  • Do y'all use contraception?
  • Exercise yous take any medicines or herbs/supplements? If so, what?

The other office of the evaluation is aconcrete exam. Your HCP volition heed to your heart and lungs, check your thyroid gland (in your neck), and check your body for acne and whatever skin changes or excess pilus. It'due south of import to tell your HCP if y'all have removed any unwanted hair, especially on your confront (upper lip/sideburns/chin) or on your chest or back.

Your HCP will tell you if apelvic examination is needed to brand certain that everything is okay with your hymen, labia, vagina, cervix and uterus. Instead of a complete pelvic exam, your HCP may do certain parts of the pelvic exam such as checking to make certain your hymen is open and using a small Q-tip in your vagina to make sure the length is normal. Your HCP may also schedule you for an ultrasound.

Your HCP may then orderclaret tests to look at hormone levels or refer you to a specialist in boyish medicine or gynecology who sees girls with irregular periods.

Does it matter if you skip periods?

Although many girls will skip an occasional period if they have just started their periods, or are stressed or ill, regular periods are a sign that you are healthy and making enough estrogen to keep your bones strong. So if yous're skipping periods, information technology's important to find out why and whether you demand a treatment plan.

Do I need to accept whatsoever vitamins?

Your body needs 1300 mg of  calcium and 600 units of vitamin D each day. If you lot drinkable four (eight ounce) glasses of milk per day, you'll get 1200mg. of calcium + vitamin D. Yogurt has well-nigh 400 mg of calcium.  Other dietary sources of calcium include calcium fortified: tofu, orange juice, and soy and rice milk. Choose calcium rich foods that you can relish throughout the solar day.

What is the handling for amenorrhea?

Handling depends upon the cause of the amenorrhea and may include:

  • Changing your exercise blueprint
  • Talking with a nutritionist and eating a healthy diet
  • Seeing a advisor nearly stress or disordered eating
  • Hormones such as progesterone, estrogen, or birth control pills

Most conditions that crusade amenorrhea tin be treated with medication and lifestyle changes. What'due south important is that you heed to the options and decide what type of treatment is best for yous. Brand sure you're getting enough calcium and vitamin D.