Menstrual Disorders

Amenorrhoea is the complete absence of menstruation: it is called primary amenorrhoea if menarche has still not occurred by the age of 18, and secondary amenorrhoea if periods stop for three or more consecutive months in someone who has previously been menstruating (common causes include pregnancy, stress, a hormonal disorder, or anaemia). Polymenorrhoea describes an abnormally short cycle, one that repeats in under 21 days, and can stem from pituitary hyperactivity causing overly frequent ovulation, psychological disturbance, malnutrition, or chronic pelvic inflammation triggered by a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydiasis or gonorrhoea. Dysmenorrhoea, the single most commonly reported menstrual complaint, is pain or cramping during the period; it is called primary dysmenorrhoea when caused by the uterus's own prostaglandin secretion, and secondary dysmenorrhoea when it results from an underlying disorder such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Menorrhagia is heavy, prolonged menstrual bleeding severe enough to disrupt a woman's normal activities, and can arise from hormonal imbalance, ovarian dysfunction, uterine fibroids, or, in some cases, cancer of the ovary, uterus or cervix. Oligomenorrhoea describes infrequent periods, diagnosed when a woman of childbearing age regularly goes more than about 35 days between periods. A related, broader endocrine condition is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), in which many partially formed follicles develop on the ovaries but never mat …