The absence of menstrual periods is called amenorrhea. If a woman has never had any menstrual blood flow by the age of 16, doctors call this primary amenorrhea. Through a series of questions, you will learn about the more common possibilities to explain your personal situation.
Usually if periods never start, girls do not go through puberty, and thus secondary sexual characteristics, such as breasts and pubic hair, do not develop normally. If women have been having menstrual periods, which then stop, they may have secondary amenorrhea. Secondary amenorrhea is much more common than primary.
In most women with amenorrhea, the ovaries do not release an egg. Such women cannot become pregnant. ), and an increased risk of heart and blood vessel disorders. Such problems occur because in women who have amenorrhea, the estrogen level is low.
Some don't get their periods because of hormone imbalances. Girls who are underweight or who have eating disorders may notice a delay in the start of their periods. Girls who are very athletic might not get their periods until they stop exercising or competing so vigorously.
The answer is that it's actually totally safe to not have periods because of birth control. A lot of people believe that their period is a way the body "cleans" itself, or that period blood will "build up" over time if they don't have a period every month — but that's not true.
Sometimes a person will have no menstrual bleeding for more than three cycles despite having had regular periods until then. If there is no natural cause for this, such as pregnancy, they have secondary amenorrhea. Secondary amenorrhea occurs in approximately 3–5 percent of adult women.
Skipping periods is common during the first 1 or 2 years after they start. It doesn't mean anything serious or cause any harm. A girl can normally go up to 6 months between the first and second periods. Also, a girl can go up to 4 months between the second and third periods.
Can I get pregnant if I've never had my period? Yes, a girl can get pregnant before she gets her first period. Getting pregnant is related to ovulation. Because a girl can ovulate before having her first period, it is possible to become pregnant if she has sex.
For most girls, their first menstrual period, or menarche (say: MEH-nar-kee), begins about 2 years after she first starts to get breasts. For most girls this is around age 12. But it can be as early as age 8 or as late as 15.
Although men will not bleed, nor will they experience all of the same symptoms as women, these hormonal shifts can have some pretty notable side effects, especially with mood and irritability. Some call it the “man period” others call it Irritable Male Syndrome, either way, it can be quite similar to a woman's PMS.
While ovulation and periods naturally go together, it is possible to ovulate without having a period. This often occurs for women with irregular periods. Conversely, it is possible to experience monthly bleeding with no ovulation. However, that bleeding is not a normal period and results from an anovulatory cycle.
If your daughter hasn't had her first menstrual cycle by 15, or if more than three years have passed since she started developing breasts, she should see a physician.
Amenorrhea has many causes, including hormone problems, eating habits and exercise, or a birth defect. Your teen may need blood tests and a pelvic ultrasound. Treatment may be done with hormones or other medicines, changes in diet or exercise, and calcium supplements.
A normal discharge usually begins in girls when they start breast development and puberty. It is due to increased estrogen (hormone) levels. The discharge is clear or whitish, thin and small in amount.
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of regular, unprotected intercourse. If you or your female partner are over the age of 35, you should see a fertility specialist after six months. After age 40, we recommend seeking help right away because we know fertility declines as age increases.
Your first period should last anywhere from 2 to 7 days. It may be very light, with just a few spots of brownish blood. Or it may start and end more brownish, but be brighter red on heavier flow days.
It is possible to get pregnant if sperm comes into contact with the vagina, if for example: your partner ejaculates very close to your vagina.
Two years or more without a period
There are also a few women that will go for two years or more and find that they get a period back. This is not really very common. And as far as we're concerned, once you have not had a period for two years, then that's...you're well and truly through the menopause.
The first sign of the menopause is usually a change in the normal pattern of your periods. You may start having either unusually light or heavy periods. The frequency of your periods may also be affected. You may have one every two or three weeks, or you may not have one for months at a time.
It is not normal to bleed or spot 12 months or more after your last period (menopause). Usually it's nothing to worry about, but you should always have it checked out by a doctor.
Missed periods (amenorrhea) may be caused by stress, under-nutrition, or over-exercise — all of which can lead to something called functional hypothalamic amenorrhea. Other causes of secondary amenorrhea include polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), pituitary abnormalities, and thyroid dysfunction, among others.
It's common, especially in the first 2 years after a girl starts getting her period, to skip periods or to have irregular periods. Illness, rapid weight change, or stress can also make things more unpredictable. That's because the part of the brain that regulates periods is influenced by events like these.
If a girl starts menstruation at a young age, it's usually because the hormones in her body responsible for puberty are being produced earlier.
Most girls begin their periods between ages 9 and 18. The average is around 12 years old. If no periods have occurred when a girl is older than 15, further testing may be needed. The need is more urgent if she has gone through other normal changes that occur during puberty.
The whole purpose of your menstrual cycle is to prepare your uterus for pregnancy each time you ovulate. If you don't want to become pregnant, there's absolutely no health reason you need to have a menstrual period. Moreover, as you approach menopause, your periods can start to be more irregular and unpredictable.