Lack of menstruation does not always mean a pregnancy. It can also happen due to hormonal changes like stop taking the pill or excessive stress or even due to situations like intense physical activity or anorexia.
In addition, lack of menstruation for more than 3 consecutive months also occurs in premenopausal women, in the first cycles after menarche, and does not recur after surgery for removal of the uterus and ovaries, and is not a worrying situation in most cases .
Main causes of Menstrual Absence
Some common situations that can lead to absence of menstruation for more than 3 consecutive months include:
Intense physical exercise, performed by marathoners, competition swimmers or gymnasts, in which case the ideal is to reduce the intensity of the workouts to regulate menstruation again.
Stress, anxiety disorders and nervousness that alter the menstrual flow, but which can be solved by finding again calmness and serenity, which can be achieved through sessions of psychoanalysis or constant physical exercises.
Eating disorders such as a diet low in vitamins or diseases such as anorexia or bulimia. In this case you should consult a nutritionist to adjust the food, so that menstruation returns to normal.
Thyroid changes as in the case of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. If this is a suspect, the doctor should ask the blood test for thyroid hormones and prescribe the appropriate medicines if necessary.
Use of medications, such as corticosteroids, antidepressants, chemotherapy, antihypertensives or immunosuppressants. In this case one may try to use another medicine that does not have this side effect or to evaluate the risk / benefit of the use of this medicine, but only by indication of the doctor.
Reproductive system diseases, such as polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, myoma or tumors, and thus only with gynecologist-directed treatment menstruation may return to normal.
Changes in brain functioning, such as malfunction of the pituitary and hypothalamus, and although this is not a common cause, can be investigated with specific tests requested by the gynecologist or general practitioner.
The absence of menstruation also occurs in women with Cushing's syndrome, Asherman's syndrome and Turner's syndrome.
Causes of absence of menstruation are usually related to decreased estrogen that can prevent ovulation and the formation of the tissue of the uterus that flakes during menstruation, so there may be menstrual changes such as absence of flow or irregularity of the cycle.
Main causes of delayed menstruation
The menstrual delay can occur when the woman stops taking the pill or stops using the implant, and in this case the menstrual cycle can take between 1 to 2 months to be normalized. The morning-after pill may also change the day of your menstrual period down into a few days. And whenever pregnancy is suspected, it is recommended to have a test to see if you are pregnant. See other causes for: Late menstruation.
When to go to the gynecologist
It is necessary to go to the doctor if:
- A girl has no signs of puberty until the age of 13: lack of growth of pubic or axillary hair, no growth of the breasts and no rounding of the hips;
- If the menstruation does not descend until the 16 years;
- If, in addition to the absence of menstruation, the woman presents other symptoms such as accelerated heartbeat, anxiety, sweating, weight loss;
- When the woman is over 40 and has not menstruated for more than 12 months and has already rejected the chance of pregnancy or has irregular menstruation.
In either case the woman should go to the gynecologist who can indicate the need to do blood tests or perform an ultrasound, to evaluate the hormonal values and to exclude the existence of any problem or disease in the ovaries, thyroid or supra- renal function. Read also: 5 signs that you should go to the gynecologist.
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