Abstract

BACKGROUND
Amenorrhea is a relatively common condition that is present in up to 5% of adult women at any time. The clinical significance of a lack of regular menstrual cycles extends beyond reproductive concerns. Episodes of amenorrhea as short as 90 d may have implications for bone and cardiovascular health. Prolonged amenorrhea, depending upon its underlying cause, can be a harbinger of substantial cardiovascular risk.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This is an update of recent medical literature on this topic.
RESULTS
The past few years have been marked by a greater appreciation of the early presentation of common ovulatory disorders, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, and less common disorders, such as premature ovarian insufficiency/failure. The long-term implications of functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and its genetic origins have also been further elucidated. Finally, health consequences of these and other menstrual disorders are increasingly well defined, with firmer clinical endpoints rather than merely risk factor assessments.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Santoro N

Institution

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 East 17th Avenue, Mail Stop B-198, Room AO1-4010, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA. Nanette.Santoro@ucdenver.edu

Source

The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 96:11 2011 Nov pg 3281-8

MeSH

Adult
Amenorrhea
Anovulation
Female
Humans
Hypogonadism
Hypothalamic Diseases
Menopause
Menopause, Premature
Middle Aged
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Review

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22058375