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Secondary Amenorrhea
Alternate Names : Amenorrhea - Secondary
Definition Secondary amenorrhea is a condition in which menstruation begins at the appropriate age, but later ceases for 6 or more months in the absence of normal causes such as pregnancy, lactation, or menopause.
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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Pregnancy is often the first thought when a period is missed, but there are many reasons for having a late period. Increased risk is associated with extreme and prolonged exercise (particularly without adequate conditioning), body fat content less than 15% to 17%, extreme obesity, and taking hormonal supplements.
Anxiety over a possible pregnancy may cause a missed period, thereby increasing the anxiety even further. Emotional distress from other causes can also cause a missed period.
Drugs such as busulfan, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, oral contraceptives, phenothiazines, and non-oral contraceptives (such as Norplant and Depo-Provera) can all cause scanty or missed periods. Also, procedures such as a dilation and curettage (D and C) can cause a woman to develop amenorrhea if scar tissue develops within the uterine cavity.
Early appearance of menopause may account for some cases (menopause is normal for women over age 45).
The incidence of secondary amenorrhea (due to some cause other than pregnancy) is about 4% in the general population.
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• Definition
• Secondary Amenorrhea Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
• Secondary Amenorrhea Symptoms & Signs
• Secondary Amenorrhea Prevention
• Secondary Amenorrhea Diagnosis & Tests
• Secondary Amenorrhea Treatment
• Secondary Amenorrhea Prognosis
• Secondary Amenorrhea Complications
• Calling Your Health Care Provider
• Pictures & Images
Topics that might be of interest to you Diseases & Conditions
• Hypothyroidism
• Menopause
• Nipple Problems
• Pituitary Tumor
• Thyroid Diseases
Tests & Exams
• Cranial CT Scan
• Endometrial Biopsy
• FSH
• HCG - Qualitative - Serum
• Hormone Levels
• LH Blood Test
• Pregnancy Test
• Prolactin
• Testosterone
• Thyroid Function Tests
• TSH
Surgery & Procedures
• D and C
Other Topics
• Excessive or Unwanted Hair in Women
• Headache
• Incidence
• Menstruation - Absent
• Obesity
• Physical Examination
• Stress and Anxiety
• Systemic
• Vagina
• Weight Gain - Unintentional
• Weight Loss - Unintentional
• Weight Management
Review Date : 1/20/2002
Reviewed By : Peter Chen, M.D., Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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