Prolactin also influences the menstrual cycle as it suppresses the release of LH and FSH form the pituitary. Similarly, thyroid hormone also affects the menstrual cycle. Low levels of thyroid hormone stimulate the release of TRH from the hypothalamus, which in turn increases both TSH and prolactin release. This increase in prolactin suppresses the release of LH and FSH through a negative feedback mechanism. Amenorrhea can be caused by any mechanism that disrupts this hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, whether that it be by hormonal imbalance or by disruption of feedback mechanisms. Classification
Amenorrhea is classified as either primary or secondary. Primary Amenorrhea
Primary amenorrhoea is the absence of menstruation in a woman by the age of 16. Females who have not reached menarche at 14 and who have no signs of secondary sexual characteristics (thelarche or pubarche) are also considered to have primary amenorrhea. Examples of amenorrhea include constitutional delay of puberty, Turner syndrome, and Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome. Secondary Amenorrhea
Secondary amenorrhoea is defined as the absence of menstruation for three months in a woman with a history of regular cyclic bleeding or six months in a woman with a history of irregular menstrual periods. Examples of secondary amenorrhea include hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hyperprolactinemia, polycystic ovarian syndrome, primary ovarian insufficiency, and functional hypothalamic amenorrhea. Causes
Primary amenorrhea
Turner syndrome
Turner syndrome, monosomy 45XO, is a genetic disorder characterized by a missing, or partially missing, X chromosome. Turner syndrome is associated with a wide spectrum of features that vary with each case. However, one common feature of this syndrome is ovarian insufficiency due to gonadal dysgenesis.
Most people with Turner syndrome experience ovarian insufficiency within the first few years of life, prior to menarche. Therefore, most patients with Turner syndrome will have primary amenorrhea. However, the incidence of spontaneous puberty varies between 8–40% depending on whether or not there is a complete or partial absence of the X chromosome. MRKH
MRKH (Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser) syndrome is the second-most common cause of primary amenorrhoea. The syndrome is characterized by Müllerian agenesis. In MRKH Syndrome, the Müllerian ducts develop abnormally and result in the absence of a uterus and cervix. Even though patients with MRKH have functioning ovaries, and therefore have secondary sexual characteristics, they experience primary amenorrhea since there is no functioning uterus. Constitutional delay of puberty
Constitutional delay of puberty is a diagnosis of exclusion that is made when the workup for primary amenorrhea does not reveal another cause. Constitutional delay of puberty is not due to a pathologic cause. It is considered a variant of the timeline of puberty. Although more common in boys, girls with delayed puberty present with onset of secondary sexual characteristics after the age of 14, as well as menarche after the age of 16. This may be due to genetics, as some cases of constitutional delay of puberty are familial. Secondary amenorrhea
Breastfeeding
Physiologic amenorrhea is present before menarche, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and after menopause.Breastfeeding or lactational amenorrhea is also a common cause of secondary amenorrhoea. Lactational amenorrhea is due to the presence of elevated prolactin and low levels of LH, which suppress ovarian hormone secretion.