Amenorrhoea (absence of menstruation) is an alarming symptom for women's he alth, which requires immediate medical attention to determine the causes of this condition. If menstruation does not come on time, the most common fears of women are an unplanned pregnancy or a possible disease of the reproductive system. But the causes of violations may lie in an unbalanced diet or a change in climatic zones.
Absence of menstruation due to pregnancy in a woman
Why did my period suddenly disappear? The most common reason for the lack of menstruation on time is the onset of pregnancy. The menstrual cycle consists of three phases: follicular, ovulatory and luteal. If during ovulation the egg is fertilized, and then successfully attached to the uterine cavity and develops, a large-scale restructuring takes place in the female body. corpus luteumprovides the embryo with everything necessary, and then (by 15-16 weeks) the placenta takes over this role. Periods do not come because the endometrium of the uterus is not rejected.
Other symptoms to help identify pregnancy are breast tenderness, breast swelling, mood changes, metallic taste in the mouth, weakness and drowsiness, cold symptoms, nausea and vomiting (early morning sickness), dizziness, susceptibility to smells and cravings for certain foods. In the early stages, spotting may appear, which lasts no more than two days. Usually women take this as the beginning of menstruation, but the discharge ends abruptly, and the next month the critical days do not come again.
You can confirm pregnancy with a missed period with a home test that detects the presence of hCG in the urine. You can go to the hospital and follow the dynamics of the blood test to see if hCG is increasing. If the level of hormone concentration rises rapidly, then pregnancy develops. In the first weeks, the gynecologist can sometimes confirm the interesting position of the patient during a manual examination or refer the woman to an ultrasound scan, which is performed transvaginally in the early stages.
Pathological amenorrhea: in what cases is the absence of menstruation a pathology
Why did my period disappear? The causes of amenorrhea can be different. Pathological is the absence of menstruation and other signs of puberty in adolescents under fourteen years of age. And also the pathology is indicated by the absence of critical days in the presence of other signs of maturation up to sixteen years. Why do teenagers miss periods? In girls in adolescence, the absence of menstruation from two to twelve months after menarche, the first critical days, is considered the norm. This is due to large-scale hormonal changes in the body. In adult women, pathological amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation for three consecutive cycles, provided that the previous critical days were normal.
The main reasons for the cessation of menstruation: primary and secondary amenorrhea
Why can menstruation disappear? In addition to pregnancy, there are many reasons that can provoke amenorrhea. At the same time, pathology is distinguished primary and secondary. Primary amenorrhea - the complete absence of critical days in a teenage girl, secondary - the absence of menstruation in an adult woman for three cycles, if earlier menstruation was normal. The causes of primary amenorrhea can be obstruction of the entrance to the vagina, cervical canal, uterine cavity, vagina, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, hormonal disorders.
Why do periods disappear (except for pregnancy) when it comes to secondary amenorrhea? In this case, the absence of menstruation can be triggered by psychogenic factors (stress or other strong emotional experiences and shocks), discontinuation of oral contraceptives, sudden weight loss, underweight or severe food restrictions, variouskind of diseases of the reproductive system, including cancer, thyroid disease, some endocrinopathies (hypo- or hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus), taking certain medications.
Risk factors for amenorrhea: why periods may disappear
The likelihood of amenorrhea increases with a history of life provoking factors. Why did my periods disappear? Physical overload, malnutrition and psycho-emotional stress can provoke amenorrhea. Why do periods disappear when dieting? The same reasons cause amenorrhea during physical exertion. A large load for an unprepared body is a real stress, so that menstruation may not come on time if you start to actively train. Thus, if menstruation disappeared after physical exertion, then it is necessary to reduce their intensity, and not completely abandon the sport.
Disruption of metabolic processes, weakening of the immune system, malfunctions in the reproductive system and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can be caused by a lack of proper nutrition. This is a fairly common situation. Why do periods disappear when losing weight? This indicates a colossal lack of nutrients. The production of hormones is disrupted, which is why women's he alth is seriously harmed. As a result, you can face not only the absence of menstruation, but also the formation of a cyst or even infertility.
Another risk factor is stress, climate change ortaking certain medications. Why do periods disappear in summer? This is due to the sharp increase in air temperature. The body does not immediately accept such a restructuring, it perceives it as stress. In women, acclimatization can occur precisely in the form of a delay. As for stress, this is a very strong factor that can provoke the absence of critical days for an indefinite period. There is information that during the war, women did not have menstruation for several years.
Amenorrhoea while breastfeeding: why there is no period
After giving birth, menstruation is not restored immediately. After such a large-scale restructuring, the body needs at least 6 weeks for the reproductive function to return to normal. If a young mother is breastfeeding, then it may take even more time, because during lactation a special hormone is synthesized that blocks menstruation. Periods resume after breastfeeding is completed. As soon as a young mother introduces complementary foods, begins to supplement the child with water, reduces the frequency of feedings and cancels nightly, critical days begin again.
No period after abortion or gynecological surgery
Why did my period disappear after an abortion? Such a serious interference in the normal functioning of the female body leads to the failure of complex cyclic processes. Especially often amenorrhea occurs if the abortion was done at a later date. Another reason may be the stress transferred before the procedure. After an abortion, there may not be periods due to inflammation, hormonal failure, or excessive trauma to the inner layer of the uterus.
Delayed menstruation is a normal option after any surgical intervention. An operation (not even a gynecological one) is a serious stress for the whole organism. If the intervention was not very difficult, passed without complications, the delay may not be longer than two weeks. In some cases, prolonged amenorrhea is characteristic - up to three months. To correctly calculate the period of menstruation, the day when the operation was performed should be taken as the first day of the cycle.
Clinical picture in the absence of menstruation in women
In the absence of menstruation, fertility is lost, that is, a woman cannot become pregnant. About half of the patients who go to the doctor with such complaints are obese, they show signs of thyroid or adrenal dysfunction, various signs of androgen excess (acne, increased oiliness of the skin). In the event that the absence of menstruation is accompanied by irritability, depression, hot flashes, decreased libido, insomnia, wrinkles, frequent urination and vaginal dryness, there is reason to talk about the onset of menopause.
Required Lab Tests for Diagnosis
Why did my period disappear? To find out the causes of amenorrhea, the doctor will first interview the patient to determine if there are factors in the woman's life that can provokesuch a symptom. Pregnancy testing is mandatory: using a rapid urine test, blood test, manual examination or ultrasound diagnostics. If there is no pregnancy, then prolactin in the blood plasma is determined. With an increased level of the hormone, an examination of the pituitary gland is necessary. Causes of amenorrhea can be determined by evaluating the results of a biochemical blood test, a hormone test, and an examination on a gynecological chair.
Additional (special) studies in pathological amenorrhea
If polycystic ovaries are suspected, laparoscopy is recommended, cysts can be detected using ultrasound. Also, if necessary, an assessment of the state of the endometrium is carried out, possible anomalies of the genital tract or a functioning endometrium are determined, MRI and CT are prescribed.
Differential Diagnosis: Diagnosis Algorithm
First, the doctor will determine the type of amenorrhea: primary or secondary. This can be assessed already during the initial interview of the patient. The next stage is the differentiation of the causes that caused amenorrhea in each specific case. It is at this stage that the necessary clinical and laboratory studies are carried out, which make it possible to identify the causes of the absence of menstruation.
Amenorrhoea treatment, prognosis and possible complications
To normalize the menstrual cycle, you need to see a doctor to find out the cause of the pathology. Treatment of amenorrhea may include the correction of psycho-emotional disorders, the transition toproper nutrition, overcoming stressful situations and vitamin therapy. Restoration of menstruation is possible after stopping the use of drugs that suppress the function of the pituitary gland, normalization of body weight. The need for medication is determined by the gynecologist and (if necessary) narrow specialists.
Usually prescribed hormonal drugs, such as estrogens, oral contraceptives. Homeopathy is often used. In severe cases, surgery may be required.
In the absence of adequate therapy, infertility can develop, which will be very difficult to cure when a woman wants to have a baby. In addition, this pathology often affects the general state of he alth: the condition of the skin and hair worsens, irritability and mood swings appear, fatigue, insomnia, frequent headaches, intense body hair growth, and so on. With timely access to a gynecologist, the prognosis is favorable. After treatment, it is possible to restore the menstrual cycle and childbearing function.
