Menstrual disorder !!! What is amenorrhea?
What is considered amenorrhea?
Amenorrhea is the absence of periods (also called menstruation) in a woman of menstruating age. It is normal in cases of pregnancy, breastfeeding and during menopause. Otherwise, an assessment is necessary to find the cause.
What is amenorrhea?
L'amenorrheais the absence of periods in a woman of menstruating age (also calledmenstruation).
There are 2 types ofamenorrhea :
- Primary when a teenage girl has not had her first period by the age of 16. The onset of the first period is considered normal between the ages of 10 and 15 ;
- Secondary when menstruation has not occurred for more than 3 months in a woman who was previously well-regulated . This is the most common situation.
Amenorrhea is normal in 3 casesThe amenorrheais a symptom of a dysfunction of the female organism except in the following 3 “ natural ” or “ physiological ” situations: amenorrheasecondary :
- Pregnancy ;
- Breastfeeding ;
- Menopause .
How can we explain the regularity of menstrual cycles and the occurrence of periods?
Between puberty and menopause (apart from pregnancy), periods are regular. They occur every 28 days on average (between 26 and 31 days). This regularity indicates that the uterus, theovaries, L'pituitary glandand the hypothalamus function normally.
Absence of periods: when to consult?
If your period is late or you miss it, the steps you should take will depend on your personal situation.
You think you are pregnant
Absence of periods on the expected date oramenorrheais the first sign of pregnancy . But it is not a sufficient sign of pregnancy because some women have irregular cycles. Stress, sports or traveling can also delay periods.
First, you can take a pregnancy test available in pharmacies or supermarkets. The principle is to detect the presence of the pregnancy hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin or HCG) in your morning urine. This hormone appears 10 days after fertilization and the reliability of these tests is 95 %.
If the test is positive or if you have any doubts, even after a negative test, consult your doctor. In some cases, he may ask you to take a blood test (for a blood test of Beta HCG).
You are breastfeeding
If you have decided to breastfeed your baby, the return of menstruation, that is to say the return of menstruation, is postponed until the end of breastfeeding. It is therefore normal that you do not have your period while breastfeeding.
Indeed, the baby's suckling causes the production of a hormone in the mother : prolactin. This hormone blocks theovulation.
However, be careful of the risk of pregnancy ! Breastfeeding only has a contraceptive role under certain conditions. You must therefore protect yourself and adopt a method of contraception to avoid becoming pregnant again.
You are approaching menopause
Before menopause, you may experience a period called perimenopause , the signs of which include :
your periods are irregular ;
you experience premenstrual syndrome (before your period) : breasts are tender and your mood is irritable ;
the first hot flashes and night sweats appear. These are the so-called “ climacteric ” disorders.
Perimenopausal symptoms usually occur around age 47 and are due to a deficiency inprogesterone, one of the main female hormones. Estrogen secretion is preserved.
Then your periods stop for good. Menopause is a natural phenomenon. It occurs when theovariestheir hormonal secretion (estrogens andprogesterone) and their egg production. Climacteric disorders subside or persist. Menopause is truly established when periods have been absent for a year.
Talk to your doctor about this at your next appointment.
You or your teenager are in another situation
If your period has not yet started by the age of 16 or if it has been interrupted for more than 3 months, consult your doctor. He will look for the cause because this situation is a symptom of a malfunction in the body.
