This is such a great question, so glad you asked! Amenorrhea (pronounced “a-men-or-re-ah”) means absent or no menstrual period. There are two different types of amenorrhea, primary and secondary. Primary amenorrhea is when a young woman has not gotten their period by 15 years old or 2 to 3 years after they notice their breasts developing. Secondary amenorrhea is when a young woman has had a period, but then suddenly stops having them.
There are A LOT of different reasons why someone might be experiencing amenorrhea such as increased exercise, pregnancy, changes in weight, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), other hormonal imbalances, and more. Wondering what is going on can cause some anxiety, which is totally normal, but a great place to start is by scheduling time to speak with your health care provider (HCP). They will ask you more questions about your growth/development and probably check some blood work to start.
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