Amenorrhea – No Menstrual Period Causes and Types

Amenorrhea is a condition that involves the fact that a woman of reproductive age does not have a menstrual period. A woman is considered to be of reproductive age at any age between her first period and the onset of menopause. During this time the only times when a lack of menstruation is normal are during pregnancy and lactation. In any other circumstance, if there is no menstrual period for three months, the woman is susceptible to amenorrhea. This condition can have many causes and in certain cases it can involve the inability of a woman to conceive babies. Amenorrhea, depending on what caused it in the first place, can be permanent or temporary.

However, the main way to classify amenorrhea is by when it occurs. We may be talking about primary or secondary amenorrhea. The first type means missed menstrual period in young women under 16 years of age. It may be the fact that they have never had their first period and also have no sexual characteristics, or it may just be the lack of a period, with all the other characteristics of their sex developing normally. Secondary amenorrhea occurs in women who have had normal periods up to that point. It can have a variety of causes, from uterine scarring to the administration of certain medications.

Secondary amenorrhea can also be caused by a hormonal imbalance due to a malfunction of the pituitary or thyroid gland. If a doctor determines that the condition is permanent, various treatments are available, unless the amenorrhea poses no health hazard and the woman no longer wants to conceive babies. In such a case, treatment is not mandatory. To determine the appropriate treatment, the doctor must first determine what caused the amenorrhea. Sometimes it is required to balance the hormones, while in other cases it can be solved with surgery.

There are external factors that can lead to secondary amenorrhea and, if they are eliminated, the woman will return to normal without specific treatment. Certain prescription pills such as birth control pills can cause amenorrhea and the menstrual period will return to normal some time after a woman stops taking them. A condition known as athletic amenorrhea is also common and occurs in women who exercise a lot or play certain sports. Diet also plays a role, and amenorrhea has been reported to occur in women who are constantly dieting to lose weight or keep fit and do not consume enough calories to maintain their activity.