What kinds of problems do women have with their periods?
Women can have a range of problems with their periods, including pain, heavy bleeding, and skipped periods. • Amenorrhea — the lack of a menstrual period. This term is used to describe the absence of a period in: • young women who haven’t started menstruating by age 15 • women who used to have regular periods, but haven’t had one for 90 days • young women who haven’t had a period for 90 days, even if they haven’t been menstruating for long Causes can include pregnancy, breastfeeding, and extreme weight loss caused by serious illness, eating disorders, excessive exercising, or stress. Hormonal problems, such as those caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or problems with the reproductive organs, may be involved. It is important to talk to a doctor. • Dysmenorrhea — painful periods, including severe cramps. When menstrual cramps occur in teens, the cause is too much of a chemical called prostaglandin. Most teens with dysmenorrhea do not have a serious disease even though the cramp
Women can have various kinds of problems with their periods, including pain, heavy bleeding, and skipped periods. Amenorrhea – the lack of a menstrual period. This term is used to describe the absence of a period in young women who haven’t started menstruating by age 16, or the absence of a period in women who used to have a regular period. Causes of amenorrhea include pregnancy, breastfeeding, and extreme weight loss caused by serious illness, eating disorders, excessive exercising, or stress. Hormonal problems (involving the pituitary, thyroid, ovary, or adrenal glands) or problems with the reproductive organs may be involved. Dysmenorrhea – painful periods, including severe menstrual cramps. In younger women, there is often no known disease or condition associated with the pain. A hormone called prostaglandin is responsible for the symptoms. Some pain medicines available over the counter, such as ibuprofen, can help with these symptoms. Sometimes a disease or condition, such as uter
