Amenorrhea

What is amenorrhea?
Amenorrhea is when you experience missed periods, or the period stops completely.

What causes amenorrhea?
There are many reasons why a person may miss her period, or why periods might stop altogether. These can include:

• Pregnancy.
• Malnutrition.
• Hormonal imbalance.
• Menopause.
• Certain medications.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome.
• Contraceptive pill or IUS.
• Intense exercise.
• Stress.
• Sudden weight loss.
• Being overweight.

The pictures below show possible causes of primary and secondary amenorrhoea.
Primary Amenorrhoea:

Secondary Amenorrhoea:

It is important to discuss any of these symptoms with your medical practitioner.

The doctor may also ask you about:

• Your medical history.
• Your family's medical history.
• Your sexual history.
• Any emotional issues you're experiencing.
• Any recent changes in your weight.
• The amount of exercise you do.

Treatment
The treatment will depend on the cause. Your medical practitioner may refer you to a consultant such as a gynaecologist or an endocrinologist. A gynaecologist is a specialist in treating conditions that affect the female reproductive system and an endocrinologist is a specialist in treating hormonal conditions. Investigations such as blood tests, ultrasounds, CT-scans, or MRI may be needed.