Other than cases of pregnancy, infrequent or absent menstrual
periods usually are caused by hormones. Treatment depends on the
cause, but can include lifestyle changes or hormonal
medications. Missing or absent menstrual periods, when not due
to pregnancy, usually have a hormonal cause. One of the most
common of these is menopause, in which a woman stops having
periods because her ovaries are no longer producing estrogen.
Other reasons include: Rarely, absent menstrual periods can be
caused by scarring of the uterine cavity as a result of a
medical curettage procedure. Usually, the reason for absent or
infrequent menstrual periods can be determined with a
combination of medical history, physical examination and blood
tests. Treatment options are selected once the cause of the
infrequent or absent menstrual periods has been identified.
Treatment may involve lifestyle changes, such as moderation of
diet or exercise habits, and hormonal medications such as oral
contraceptive pills, thyroid medication or estrogen