Secondary amenorrhea is a condition in which a woman misses her periods for more than one month. A woman can experience secondary amenorrhea at any point in her life, till she is fertile. Secondary amenorrhea takes place when your regular menstruation cycle becomes irregular. The natural process of a woman’s body shedding its uterine lining causes a female to experience menstruation. Although this process is said to take place on an average of 28 days, this is more of a generalized concept than an actual proven scientific theory. Therefore, you may notice that the dates for experiencing your menstrual cycle keep fluctuating or changing. It is also possible that your body delays this process for almost three months sometimes, until it is ready to shed its uterine lining.
Secondary Amenorrhea can be Caused Due to:
• Pregnancy is one of the primary causes of amenorrhea. This is because when a fertilized egg is implanted on the uterus, the body keeps the uterus lining to protect and nourish the egg. Thus preventing the shedding of the uterus lining and subsequent menstruation.
• Frequent use of contraceptive pills can also delay menstruation for about six to eight months from the time you stop consuming the same.
• If you have just given birth and are still breast feeding, you may miss your monthly cycle for some time. However, this does not mean that you cannot be impregnated, as ovulation can take place in the absence of menstruation.
• Hypopthalamus , is an area in your brain that can affect the functioning of your menstrual cycle, as it controls certain hormones that trigger menstruation. Stress and anxiety can bring about a change in the functioning of your hypopthalamus, causing you to miss your menstruation. Your cycle may return back to normalcy once you overcome the factors causing you stress or anxiety.
• Certain drugs like antipsychotics, antidepressants, oral corticosteroids and chemotherapy drugs can also cause amenorrhea.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS is another reason as to why you may experience secondary amenorrhea. PCOS is a condition that is brought about due to a hormonal imbalance in the body of the sufferer, and is the leading cause of infertility among women.
Missing ones monthly cycle or secondary amenorrhea can seldom be life threatening; however, it does entail the malfunctioning of some complex hormones in the body. You can also use an over the counter pregnancy kit to ensure that you are not pregnant since pregnancy is the most obvious natural cause of amenorrhea. Therefore, it is imperative that you undergo a medical test to find out the exact cause as to why you are experiencing this condition. A visit to your family doctor or gynecologist will prove very beneficial in achieving the same.