Amenorrhea

Amenorrhea refers to the absence of a menstrual period. Primary amenorrhea occurs if an adolescent female has not yet begun menstruation by around age 16 or so. Secondary amenorrhea describes a condition in which a woman who has previously menstruated misses three or more periods in a row. In the United States, amenorrhea affects between
2-5% of women. Amenorrhoea is a symptom with many potential causes. Primary amenorrhoea (menstruation cycles never starting) may be caused by developmental problems such as the congenital absence of the uterus, failure of the ovary to receive or maintain egg cells, and genetic diseases