Malnutrition As A Cause of Secondary Amenorrhea : A Neglected Cause of A Common Disorder

MEDICINE Research project

Amenorrhea can be either physiologic, when it happens during pregnancy and the postpartum period or pathologic, when it s formed by a variety of endocrinologic and anatomic disorders. In the latter circumstances, the failure to menstruate is a symptom of these various pathologic conditions. Although the absence of menses causes no harm to the body, in a woman who is not pregnant or postpartum it it abnormal and therefore, is a source of concern. For this reson women usually seek medical assistance when the condition occurs. This is a case of 21 years old, Nulligravid, with signs of underdevelopment and underweight, presented laboratory work-ups for amenorrhea showed hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with hypothalamic dysfunction as a probable causes. Ultrasound showed a small uterus with atarophic endometrium. Hormonal therapy was given and the patient respondent. This paper delves on the diagnosis, long term complications and management options of secondary amenorrhea due to a common but neglected cause.