3 imperatives to transform health care in America. You're invited to watch it live

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Amenorrhea (uh-men-o-REE-uh) is the absence of menstruation — one or more missed menstrual periods. Women who have missed at least three menstrual periods in a row have amenorrhea, as do girls who haven't begun menstruation by the age of 16.

The most common cause of amenorrhea is pregnancy. Other causes of amenorrhea include problems with the reproductive organs or with the glands that help regulate hormone levels. Treatment of the underlying condition often resolves amenorrhea.

Symptoms
References
  1. Rebar RW, et al. Abnormalities of the reproductive years: Amenorrhea. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed March 18, 2011.
  2. Amenorrhea. National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/amenorrhea.cfm. Accessed March 18, 2011.
  3. Martin V, et al. Amenorrhea. In: Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..C2009-0-38984-9--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-0986-5&about=true&uniqId=236797353-5. Accessed March 18, 2011.
  4. Heiman DL. Amenorrhea. Primary Care. 2001;36:1.
  5. Lobo RA. Primary and secondary amenorrhea and precocious puberty: Etiology, diagnostic evaluation, management. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1524/0.html. Accessed March 18, 2011.
  6. Mishell DR. Family planning: Contraception, sterilization and pregnancy termination. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1524/0.html. Accessed March 18, 2011.
  7. Welt CK, et al. Etiology, diagnosis and treatment of secondary amenorrhea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 21, 2011.
  8. Welt CK, et al. Etiology, diagnosis and treatment of primary amenorrhea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 21, 2011.
  9. Gallenberg MM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 23, 2011.
  10. Hysteroscopy. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp084.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2011.
DS00581 May 17, 2011

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger