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Absent Periods

Authors:
  • Cynthia M. Johnson, MA
Publication Type:

Condition

Absent Periods

(Absent Menses; Amenorrhea)

Definition

Amenorrhea is when a woman has never had a menstrual period or they have stopped for 3 to 6 months. It is also called absent periods.

Menstrual Flow.

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Causes

Hormones often cause this problem. They start changes in the body that result in a period. They may be lowered by:

  • Poor habits, such as lack of nutrition, too much physical activity, too much weight loss, or a lot of stress
  • Health problems, such as polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Delayed puberty
  • Birth defects

Risk Factors

This problem is more common in high-level athletes, such as long-distance runners. Faulty genes may also raise the risk in some women.

Symptoms

Primary amenorrhea is when the first period has not happened in a young woman aged 15 years or older. Secondary is when a woman with regular periods has not had a period in 3 months in a row or a woman with irregular periods has not had a period in 6 months in a row.

Diagnosis

You will be asked about your symptoms and health history. You will also be asked about your history of periods. A physical exam will be done. This is enough to make the diagnosis.

More testing will need to be done to find the cause of the amenorrhea.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause. It may be treated by things like:

  • Eating a healthy diet
  • Exercising less often
  • Managing health problems
  • Lowering stress
  • Correcting birth defects with surgery

Prevention

Female athletes can lower the risk by staying at a healthy weight by eating foods that support their level of training.

RESOURCES:

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

References

  • Amenorrhea. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/amenorrhea.
  • Amenorrhea. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: https://familydoctor.org/condition/amenorrhea.

Contributors

  • Beverly Siegal, MD, FACOG
Last Updated:
2023-06-01

(C) Copyright 2023 EBSCO Information Services

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.