How common is amenorrhea? About 1 in 25 women who are not pregnant, breastfeeding, or going through menopause experience amenorrhea at some point in their lives.
About 1 in 4 women and people assigned female at birth who aren't pregnant, breastfeeding or going through menopause experience amenorrhea at some point in their lives.
Amenorrhea is not life-threatening, but the loss of the menstrual cycle has been associated with a high risk of hip and wrist fractures. In the US, amenorrhea affects about 1% of women. Recent studies indicate that childhood obesity may contribute to the early onset of menarche.
The prevalence of amenorrhea is 1.5–3% of the female population during reproductive years. Whereas primary amenorrhea is quite rare, secondary amenorrhea is not infrequent in women of reproductive age. Anovulation and consequent amenorrhea can be classified by different etiologies.
Primary amenorrhea refers to the absence of menstruation in someone who has not had a period by age 15. The most common causes of primary amenorrhea relate to hormone levels, although anatomical problems also can cause amenorrhea.
Risk factors for amenorrhea include excessive exercise, obesity, eating disorders, a family history of amenorrhea or early menopause, and genetic changes.
To summarize, amenorrhea can make getting pregnant difficult but not impossible. A woman who is having irregular periods can try to conceive naturally for a couple of months; however she may find it difficult it as she has no way to know if she has ovulated in a particular month and which are her most fertile days.
Teens should be evaluated for primary amenorrhea if they have not had their period by age 15. Teens also should be evaluated if there is no sign of breast development by age 13. No matter your age, you should be evaluated for amenorrhea if your period stops for more than 3 months without explanation.
Amenorrhea, or skipping multiple periods, may seem like a benign — or perhaps even convenient — problem, and it can be. However, in some cases, amenorrhea can lead to more significant health issues over time in terms of fertility, bone health and cancer risk. For those reasons alone, you shouldn't ignore amenorrhea.
Amenorrhea is the absence of a woman's menstrual period, either permanently or temporarily. Missing one menstrual period is rarely a sign of a serious problem or medical condition, but amenorrhea for a long period of time may be a sign of a disease or chronic condition that could be contributing to infertility.
Hypothalamic amenorrhea is a prevalent disorder in young women that occurs at the peak of reproductive life. While it remains a diagnosis of exclusion, medical professionals should be aware of the long-term health consequences of low estrogen levels that go beyond the reproductive system.
“When a woman isn't getting her period, it means she's not ovulating regularly, and it's important to learn why.” Amenorrhea can lead to bone loss, including osteoporosis, says Mitchell S.
What Is the Prognosis for Amenorrhea? Amenorrhea is typically not a life-threatening condition. The prognosis for amenorrhea depends upon the underlying cause and the type of treatment that is available. For most women, medications, lifestyle changes, or surgery can correct amenorrhea.
FHA, or stress-induced anovulation, is one of the most common causes of secondary amenorrhea (1), and it accounts for the reproductive dysfunction seen in undernutrition, excessive exercise, severe emotional stress, and chronic disease.
The main symptom of amenorrhea is the absence of your monthly period. It often signifies a larger health problem or condition. Related symptoms can include: Headache.
In this study, it has been found that women with oligomenorrhoea and amenorrhoea are characterized by significantly lower vitamin D concentration than women with regular cycles.
Irregular and missed periods are common, but if you were having regular periods before or if you have not had a period in more than 3 months, talk to your doctor.
In some cases, birth control pills or other hormone therapies can restart your menstrual cycles. Amenorrhea caused by thyroid or pituitary disorders may be treated with medications. If a tumor or structural blockage is causing the problem, surgery may be necessary.
It varies. Factors like your age, weight, activity level and genetics can play a role in how long it takes for your periods to come back. It most likely will take three to six months of consistent treatment to begin menstruating again.
CONCLUSIONS: Women with hypothalamic amenorrhea undergoing IVF have as favorable a prognosis at pregnancy as do women with tubal factor, despite a significantly higher requirement of total gonadotropin dose.
Threatened bone health: Low estrogen suppresses bone production, leading to bone loss, osteopenia (loss of bone calcium), and increased risk of fractures. Amenorrhea can cause bone loss in as little as six months. Mental health concerns: HA is also implicated in increasing depression and anxiety.
Being underweight can cause you to not have a period. This commonly occurs in competitive athletes and women with eating disorders. Women need at least 22% body fat to menstruate regularly. 11 Having a BMI of 18.5 or under can impact your period.
Natural causes of amenorrhea include pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause. In these cases, there is no need to see a doctor. When a person has regular menstrual bleeding, this means that the ovaries, uterus, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland are working well.
Blood Tests
Laboratory examination of a blood sample is useful in the diagnosis of amenorrhea, as it can help to understand any hormonal imbalances that may be associated with the condition. Blood tests can assist in monitoring: Thyroid function: based on level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)