Evaluation of secondary amenorrhea

Amenorrhea is the transient or permanent absence of menstrual flow. There is no consensus on the definition of amenorrhea, but it may be subdivided into primary and secondary presentations relative to menarche as follows:[1]Herman-Giddens ME, Slora EJ, Wasserman RC, et al. Secondary sexual characteristics and menses in young girls seen in office practice: a study from the Pediatric Research in Office Settings network. Pediatrics. 1997 Apr;99(4):505-12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9093289?tool=bestpractice.com

• Primary amenorrhea: lack of menses by age 15 years in a patient with appropriate development of secondary sexual characteristics, or absent menses by age 13 years and no other pubertal maturation

• Secondary amenorrhea: lack of menses in a nonpregnant female for at least 3 cycles of her previous interval, or lack of menses for 6 months in a patient who was previously menstruating.

Although attributes overlap between the two groups, the diagnostic approaches vary significantly.

The prevalence of amenorrhea is about 3% in women who have previously had regular menstrual periods. The prevalence is higher in college students (3% to 5%), competitive endurance athletes (5% to 60%), and ballet dancers (19% to 44%).[2]Kiningham RB, Apgar BS, Schwenk TL. Evaluation of amenorrhea. Am Fam Physician. 1996 Mar;53(4):1185-94. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8629565?tool=bestpractice.com The prevalence of primary amenorrhea in the US is <0.1%, compared with 3% to 4% for secondary amenorrhea.[3]Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Current evaluation of amenorrhea. Fertil Steril. 2008 Nov;90(suppl 5):S219-25. https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(08)03527-9/fulltext http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19007635?tool=bestpractice.com [4]Timmreck LS, Reindollar RH. Contemporary issues in primary amenorrhea. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2003 Jun;30(2):287-302. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12836721?tool=bestpractice.com [5]Pettersson F, Fries H, Nillius SJ. Epidemiology of secondary amenorrhea: incidence and prevalence rates. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1973 Sep 1;117(1):80-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4722382?tool=bestpractice.com

Despite the low prevalence of secondary amenorrhea, a prompt, comprehensive assessment is warranted unless the patient is pregnant, lactating, or using hormonal contraceptives, as amenorrhea is often the presenting sign of an underlying reproductive disorder. A delay in diagnosis and treatment may adversely impact the future of such patients. For example, in polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperinsulinemia, behavioral and dietary modifications may prevent subsequent cardiovascular disease.