Amenorrhea

Definition

Amenorrhea is the suppression of menstruation. In which, absence of menstruation is normal before puberty, after menopause, or during pregnancy. But it may be  abnormal and pathologic at any other time. Primary amenorrhea means absence of menarche in an adolescent. Secondary amenorrhea means failure of menstruation for at least 3 months after the normal onset of menarche. Primary amenorrhea may be occurs in 1 % of women and secondary amenorrhea may be occurs in about 4% of women. Prognosis varies depending on the specific cause.

Causes of amenorrhea

• Anovulation due to hormonal abnormalities
• Lack of ovarian response to gonadotropins
• Constant presence of progesterone or other endocrine abnormalities

It may also be occurs form other factors:

• Absence of a uterus
• Endometrial damage
• Ovarian, adrenal or pituitary tumors

The pathogenic mechanism varies depending on the cause and whether the defect is structural, hormonal, or both. If you have primary amenorrhea, then hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis is dysfunctional. Because of anatomical defects of the central nervous system, means ovary doesn't receive the hormonal signals that normally initiate the development of secondary sex characteristics and the beginning of menstruation.

If you have secondary amenorrhea, then it may result from several central factors or uterine factors as well as cervical stenosis and premature ovarian failure, among others.

Symptoms of Amenorrhea

It may be occurs from various disorders, and signs and symptoms depend on the specific cause. Signs and symptoms may include:

• Absence of menstruation
• Vasomotor flushes, vaginal atrophy, hirsutism, and acne.

Other various complications of amenorrhea include:

• Infertility
• Endometrial adenocarcinoma

Treatment for amenorrhea

• Appropriate hormone replacement to reestablish menstruation.
• You should be used FSH and human menopausal gonadotropins if you have pituitary disease.
• You should improve your nutritional status.
• You can also treat this disease by modify your exercise routine.
• You can also treat this disease if you have knowledge about all diagnostic procedures.
• Provide reassurance and emotional support. Because you can treat disease by using psychiatric counseling, it may be necessary if amenorrhea results from emotional disturbances.