Amenorrhea is a condition in which healthy ladies miss their period for more than three months. This condition is common in pregnant women, women after menopause and when breastfeeding as well as girls before puberty. However, having no period for 3 months, while you are supposed to have it, is not a normal condition.
Amenorrhea mainly manifests in two types, primary and secondary. Primary amenorrhea is when a young girl of 16 fails to have her first period. The secondary case of the condition is when a lady, who has been having a normal menstrual cycle stops getting her periods for more than three months.
No Period for 3 Months, What Would It Be?
Exercise Too Much
Sporting activities, such as high school sports, are a great way to stay fit. However, over indulgence in such activities can alter the menstrual cycle. Exercising too much can result in less frequent cycles, shorter periods and less bleeding. In advance conditions, the periods may stop altogether. This is an adjustment by the body to conserve energy for the strenuous activities.
If you stop exercising too much, the menstrual cycles should go back to normal in a couple of months. However, the frequency may change to several times a year, rather than every month. If after stopping the strenuous activities you have not experienced your periods for six months, you should seek medical attention. Missing periods for more than a year can cause loss of bone density. This may then result in stress fractures.
Contraceptives Pills
Birth control pills may also lead to no period for 3 months. This is normally caused by the birth control pills that contain progesterone. It is common for ladies using birth control methods to experience irregular menstrual cycles. However, such pills can make you miss your periods completely. If you are worried that you may be pregnant, you should have a pregnancy test carried out on your urine sample.
Rapid Weight Gain or Loss
Considerable changes in weight, either weight loss or gain, can also make you miss your periods. Since it is the fat cells that secrete estrogen hormone in the body, it is important that you have a proper balance of the cells, not too much or too few fat cells, for you to have normal menstrual cycles. For instance, if you have fewer fat cells in the body, lower amounts of estrogen will be produced. This will cause you not to ovulate, hence no period for 3 months or even more. Having too many fat cells will lead to over secretion of estrogen hormone, which may also affect the menstrual cycle.
Eating Problems
The various eating disorders will not only affect your overall health, but can also have a negative effect on your reproductive health. Such complications can occur when you are having anorexia nervosa and are dieting to lose weight or when you are suffering from bulimia nervosa and are vomiting, in a bid to lose weight. These changes in body weight will interfere with the levels of hormones in the body, thus affecting your reproductive health. This is the explanation as to why bulimics and anorexics miss their period.
Hormonal Imbalances
No period for 3 months, what could be the problem? This may be the result of hormonal imbalances. The hypothalamus part of the brain regulates secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, the hormone that regulates the reproductive system in ladies. Both physical and emotional stress can affect the production of this hormone, thus affecting the normal functioning of the menstrual cycle. Production of small amounts of gonadotropin-releasing hormone will lead to a condition known as hypothalamic amenorrhea, which may also lead to amenorrhea.
Medication
Missing your period for three months does not necessarily mean that you are pregnant. Some medications, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics can lead to amenorrhea. Additionally, certain chemotherapy drugs and the drugs used to remedy blood pressure may also make you miss your periods.
Other Causes
Having no period for 3 months can be caused by various things, some of which are mentioned above. However, there are other minor factors that may lead to missed periods. Some of these factors are:
Breastfeeding
Pregnancy
Menopause
Depression
Poor nutrition
Thyroid gland diseases
A tumor in the brain or on the ovaries
What to Do If I Have No Period for 3 Months
Do Not Hesitate to Seek Medical Advice
If you miss your periods for several months and are not pregnant, you should schedule a meeting with a gynecologist. While the condition is mostly caused by minor causes, it is advisable to have the professional rule out this possibility.
Try Some Supplements
You may also consider using the various supplements to remedy the condition. This should be continued for a period of about three months for effective results. Some of the supplements that may be used for this condition are:
B Vitamins: A diet that contains substantial levels of all B vitamins will improve the ability of the body to generate new cells. This will in turn help the ovaries produce ovules, thus curing amenorrhea.
Zinc will help in enhancing the normal functioning of hormones in the body, including reproductive hormones. Additionally, it will also enhance the ability of the reproductive system to ovulate.
Magnesium is a natural tranquilizer. As such, it will lower stress levels in the body, a main cause of amenorrhea.
Omega 3 fatty acids: These essential fats have a significant impact on the various body systems, including the reproductive system. The fatty acids enhance healthy production of reproductive hormones, allowing the patient to get her periods.
Herb May Help
To bring back periods, various herbs such as agnus castus, may be used. These herbs work by stimulating the entire system to go back to its former state. Agnus castus acts on the pituitary gland, stimulating production of the appropriate levels of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone. This sends a message to the ovaries to produce more progesterone. This restores the normal functioning of the reproductive system, allowing the patient to get her periods back.
Note: It is advisable to avoid herbal remedies for no period for 3 months if you are taking any hormonal treatment, such as HRT, fertility drugs or the Pill. Intake of herbal remedies should also not be coupled with intake of other medications, unless your doctor advises so.
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