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Amenorrhea means a lack of “period” (menstrual cycle) in women. While the average interval between periods is 28 days, many women will have cycles that are either longer or shorter than this. There are two types of amenorrhea, namely primary and secondary amenorrhea. Read to learn more about the types, causes, diagnosis and treatment of amenorrhea.
Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual periods in a woman during her reproductive years, meaning after the age of puberty but before the typical age of menopause. There are two types of amenorrhea:
Amenorrhea is normal before puberty, during pregnancy and after menopause. Amenorrhea may be caused by many factors, including:
Amenorrhea may also present along with other symptoms depending on the underlying cause of the condition, such as:
Amenorrhea can be diagnosed from a history of lack of menstrual cycles. Your doctor will also perform physical examinations to check for any problems with the reproductive organs.
Amenorrhea can be a sign of complex hormonal problems, finding the cause may take time and require more than one kind of testing, such as:
Treatment of amenorrhea depends on the underlying cause, available treatment for amenorrhea include:
Amenorrhea can lead to other problems as well. These include:
The chance of an amenorrhea patient getting pregnant is much lower. Depending on the underlying cause of your amenorrhea, there are treatments available to restore a normal menstrual period. It is important to seek early medical help if you are experiencing amenorrhea and wish to conceive.
The vast majority of causes of amenorrhea are not inherited. Rarely, in patients with primary amenorrhea, abnormalities in the hypothalamic hormone production or defects in ovarian function may have been inherited.
Amenorrhea is defined as the absence of a menstrual cycle in a woman during her reproductive years. Secondary amenorrhea is when a woman who has menstruated normally in the past, has now temporarily or permanently stopped having a period for 6 months or 3 consecutive menstrual cycles.
This article was independently written by Healthy Matters and is not sponsored. It is informative only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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