It can cause stress if your periods are late or you are absent for months. It can take a toll on your mental and physical health. This absence can cause a medical condition called amenorrhea. It is primarily the absence of periods.

In this article, we will get information about amenorrhea, its causes, types, and available treatments.

What is Amenorrhea?

Amenorrhea is when you don’t get your periods for a month or more. It can be temporary or permanent. Amenorrhea generally happens if there are issues with some part of your female reproductive system.

If amenorrhea lasts for more than three months, you should visit a doctor for the condition. It is acceptable before puberty, during pregnancy, and after menopause.

A good gynecologist will be able to treat amenorrhea. Dr. Hrishikesh Pai, one of the best gynecologists in Mumbai at Budget Fertility Center, offers a variety of treatments, including the treatment of amenorrhea. He has 35+ years of experience in the field and has treated hundreds of patients successfully.

Types of Amenorrhea

According to Dr. Pai, there are two types of amenorrhea:

Primary Amenorrhea: Primary amenorrhea is a rare condition. This condition occurs when the periods don’t start by 15. It can usually happen due to hormonal changes. However, anatomical issues could also cause this.
Secondary Amenorrhea: In this condition, your periods have been regular, but they don’t come for three or more months, or your periods are irregular and have been absent for six months or more. This can happen due to pregnancy, illness, or stress.

Symptoms of Amenorrhea

The most prominent sign is your absent period. Some other symptoms include:

Headache
Nausea
Excess hair on body and face
Hair loss
Milky discharge from breasts
Vaginal dryness
Acne

Causes

Amenorrhea can be caused due to a variety of reasons, says Dr. Pai, one of the best gynecologists in Mumbai at Budget Fertility Center. Some of them are listed below:

Causes of Primary amenorrhea

Genetic or chronological problems with the ovaries
Problem with reproductive organs
Hormonal dysfunction

Causes of Secondary amenorrhea

Pregnancy
Menopause
Breastfeeding
Birth control pills and methods

Some other factors contributing to amenorrhea are:

Low body weight: Your weight is about 10% less than the typical weight, which can interrupt hormonal functions, halting ovulation. If you have an eating disorder, you may stop having periods because of these hormonal changes.
Stress: Mental stress can temporarily alter the functioning of the area in the brain that controls your menstrual cycles. Menstruation and ovulation may stop due to this. After your stress decreases, your periods usually go back to normal, says Dr. Pai.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): PCOS causes high levels of hormones rather than the average levels seen in the regular periods.
Thyroid Disorders: An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can cause irregular menstrual cycles, such as amenorrhea.
Pituitary tumor: A non-cancerous tumor in your pituitary gland can interrupt your regular menstrual cycle.

Complications of amenorrhea

Infertility and Pregnancy issues: If you don’t get your period, you will have difficulty getting pregnant because there are low chances of ovulation. If hormonal imbalance is the cause of amenorrhea, miscarriages are often possible.
Pelvic pain: If an anatomic problem is causing amenorrhea, it can cause pain in the pelvic area.

Treatment

Treatment for primary amenorrhea may start with keeping an eye on the amenorrhea, depending on the person’s age and their ovary function test result. If you have a family history of late menstruation, your periods can start anytime.

Surgery might be necessary if genetic or physical problems involve reproductive organs. Though, this will not guarantee that periods will return to regular cycles. You might need to make some lifestyle changes. That includes diet, exercise, and stress management.

Surgeries in these cases are rare but they can be done in cases like:

To correct genetic or chromosomal defects.
To remove a pituitary tumor.
To remove uterine scar tissue.

You can help the doctor by keeping track of the changes in the symptoms and menstrual cycle so that they can alter the medications accordingly. You can get a good treatment for your amenorrhea at the Budget Fertility Center by one of the best gynecologists in Mumbai and his team of doctors.

What can you do to control amenorrhea?

If you try to have a healthy lifestyle, you can control some causes of secondary amenorrhea. You can try to:

Maintain a healthy weight and diet
Keep track of your menstrual cycle
Get regular appointments with your gynecologist and get a pelvic exam and pap test.
- Pelvic Exam: A pelvic exam is a routine and common physical exam used to check for signs of disease in female reproductive organs.
- Pap Test: Pap test is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially precancerous and cancerous processes in the cervix or colon.
Maintain a regular and adequate sleep cycle.

Conclusion:

Your menstrual cycle can stop for several reasons. It doesn’t always mean that you are infertile or will never conceive. Secondary amenorrhea can be controlled by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. There are treatments available that can help treat your amenorrhea. You can visit Dr Hrishikesh Pai, one of the best gynecologists in Mumbai at the Budget Fertility center.