Amenorrhea: Symptom and Causes

Symptoms

The primary symptom of this condition is missing several menstrual periods in a row. Women may also experience:
Symptoms of primary amenorrhea may include:

• Headaches
• Vision problems
• Acne
• Excessive, unwanted body hair growth (called hirsutism)

Symptoms of secondary amenorrhea may include:

• Headaches
• Vision problems
• Being very thirsty
• Nausea
• Breast discharge
• Goiter, an enlarged thyroid gland
• Darkening skin
• Hot flashes, mood changes, depression, and vaginal dryness are common with estrogen deficiency.

Causes

Both primary and secondary amenorrhea can have several causes.
Primary amenorrhea

• Lack of reproductive organs, such as uterus, cervix, or vagina
• Problems with the pituitary gland
• Abnormal chromosomes

Secondary amenorrhea

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Using some kinds of birth control
• Taking some types of medication, such as corticosteroids
• Hormone imbalance
• Keeping excessive low body weight
• Too much exercise
• Thyroid problems
• Pituitary tumor
• Stress
• Premature menopause (menopause before age 40)