1
Amenorrhea
Made Easy
By:
Mohammad Emam
Prof. OB & GYN
Mansoura Faculty of Medicine
EGYPT
2015
Definition OfDefinition Of AmenorrheaAmenorrhea
•Is complete absence of Is complete absence of
menstruation in the menstruation in the
childbearing period.childbearing period.
Definition OfDefinition Of AmenorrheaAmenorrhea
Absence of menstruation.
Background
•Understanding normal menstruation.
•Classification of amenorrhea.
•Amenorrhea is a Symptom not a disease, so
the final diagnosis should be pathological .
Pre-requisities for normality of menstruation
•Coordinated Neuro endocrine Axis.Coordinated Neuro endocrine Axis.
•Responsive ,patent Utero vaginal canalResponsive ,patent Utero vaginal canal..
•Good general health .Good general health .
Classifications Of Amenorrhea Classifications Of Amenorrhea
•According to the onset:According to the onset:
–Primary amenorrhea.Primary amenorrhea.
–Secondary amenorrhea.Secondary amenorrhea.
•According to the cause:According to the cause:
–Physiological. Physiological.
–Pathological Pathological
•According to Hidden or apparantAccording to Hidden or apparant::
–False amenorrhea False amenorrhea ((Crypto menorrheaCrypto menorrhea). ).
–True amenorrhea.True amenorrhea.
•These are complementary to each otherThese are complementary to each other
Crypto menorrhea
- Intermittent abdominal pain
- Possible difficulty with micturition
- Possible lower abdominal swelling
- Bulging bluish membrane at the
introitus or absent vagina (only
dimple)
Imperforate hymen
Hymenotomy or curiciate incision
Clinical workup
Four phenotypes (Breast & uterus )
1. Absent breast + presence of uterus
2. Presence breast + absence uterus
3 Absence breast + absence uterus
4. Presence breast + presence uterus
Breast is absent in cases with
Hypogonadism
Serum FSHSerum FSH
Absent breast + presence of uterus
(Hypogonadism)
LOWLOW (less than 5 IU/l.)(less than 5 IU/l.)
HIGH HIGH ((more than 20 IU/lmore than 20 IU/l))
GnRH challengeGnRH challenge ..
LOW FSHLOW FSH HIGH FSHHIGH FSH
PITUITARYPITUITARY HYPOTHALAMICHYPOTHALAMIC
History , exam & investigationHistory , exam & investigation
Craniopharyngioma
•
Arises from remnants of Arises from remnants of Rathke's Rathke's pouchpouch
•Compresses the hypothalamusCompresses the hypothalamus
•Suppress Suppress GnRHGnRH secretion . secretion .
•Interrupt portal flow of Interrupt portal flow of GnRH GnRH in the pituitary stalk.in the pituitary stalk.
•Calcifications may be apparent on radiography of Calcifications may be apparent on radiography of
the the sella turcica.sella turcica.
•Frequent manifestations include Frequent manifestations include visual field defects visual field defects
and blurring visionand blurring vision..
GalactorrhoeaGalactorrhoea + + amenorrhea.amenorrhea.
•Chiari-Frommel syndrome
–It occurs It occurs after deliveryafter delivery: due to : due to
persistent persistent ProlactinProlactin secretion. secretion.
•Delcastello syndrome:
•It is not preceded by delivery.It is not preceded by delivery.
Sheehan's syndrome &Simmonds
•Postpartum hge.Postpartum hge.
•Failure of gonadotrphic function + Failure of gonadotrphic function + failure of failure of
lactationlactation..
•More extensive damage lead to :More extensive damage lead to :
•Simmonds :Simmonds : (Destruction of the anterior pituitary gland (Destruction of the anterior pituitary gland
due to due to septic emboliseptic emboli due to due to puerperal sepsispuerperal sepsis.).)
Pituitary Adenoma
•Evaluation of the Evaluation of the sella turcicasella turcica with with (MRI) (MRI) + + radiographyradiography is is
necessary.necessary.
•Vary in size.Vary in size.
•Micro adenomasMicro adenomas (less than 10 mm). (less than 10 mm).
•Macro adenomasMacro adenomas (more than 10 mm).(more than 10 mm).
•May be May be associatedassociated with: with:
–Visual changes. Visual changes.
–Galactorrhoea.Galactorrhoea.
–Hypothyroidism.Hypothyroidism.
–AmenorrheaAmenorrhea
Work up for : hypothalamic- pituitary
•History
•Exam
•Investigation…
•Then:
•
Categorize as primary or secondary
•Categorize cause……..
History in primary amenorrhea
•Developmental milestones (age of growth
spurt ,age of thelarche, adrenarche)
•Chronic illness (CRI ,TB, Bl disease).
•Weight changes
•Excessive exercise
•History of anosmia
Examination
•General condition
•Height
•BMI
•2ndary sex characters
Investigations
•Bed –side:
•Visual field in suspected pituitary adenoma
•Laboratory:
•BHCG: to exclude pregnancy
•Serum prolactin
• TSH
•Imaging:
–Ultrasound : prove presence or absence of uterus, measure its size
–CT
–MRI
•Instrumental:
–Hysteroscopy: uterine synechia
–Laparoscopy
Sexual hair &
Karyotype
46-XX
Mullerian
Agenesis
(MRKH syndrome)
Andogen
Insenitivity
(TSF
syndrome)
46-XY
Presence of
sexual hair
Absent sexual
hair
2. Presence breast + absence uterus
42
Utero-vaginal Agenisis
Mayer- Rokitansky- Kuster-Hauser syndrome
•Normal breasts.Normal breasts.
•N. sexual hair development .N. sexual hair development .
•Normal looking external female genitaliaNormal looking external female genitalia
•Normal female range testosterone levelNormal female range testosterone level
•Absent uterus and upper vagina Absent uterus and upper vagina
• Normal ovariesNormal ovaries
•Karyotype 46-XXKaryotype 46-XX
•15-30% renal, skeletal and middle ear 15-30% renal, skeletal and middle ear
anomalies.anomalies.
•Treatment :Treatment :
STERILE? Vaginal creation : Dilatation & STERILE? Vaginal creation : Dilatation &
VaginoplastyVaginoplasty))
43
Testicular feminization syndrome
•Normal breasts but no sexual hairNormal breasts but no sexual hair
•Normal looking female external Normal looking female external
genitaliagenitalia
•Absent uterus and upper vaginaAbsent uterus and upper vagina
•Karyotype 46, XYKaryotype 46, XY
•MaleMale range testosterone level range testosterone level
•Treatment Treatment ::
– gonadectomy after puberty + HRTgonadectomy after puberty + HRT
–? Vaginal creation ? Vaginal creation (Vaginoplasty )(Vaginoplasty )
Summary of Sub-phenotypes Amenorrhea
Breast Breast
– –
aBsentaBsent
UterUs
absent
UterUs Present
17, 20 desmolase
deficiency
1. Gonadal failure turner 45X
17 a hydroxylase
deficiency 46xy
Gonadal dysgenisis
Agonadism 17 a hydroxylase deficiency with
46XX
2. Hypothalamic failure
3. Pituitary failure
Breast Breast
– –
PresenPresen
tt
AIS (T.F.) Hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian &
uterine etiology
Mullerian agenesis
General Principles of management
• Try causative Treatment.
•Do not forget general factors
•Remember stress is common cause in
adolescents
•Pregnancy is the commonest cause of
secondary amenorrhea
General Principles of management
. HRT: (estrogen and progesterone)
In hypo-estrogenic amenorrheic women (to prevent
osteoporosis)
. Periodic progestogen:
In euestrogenic amenorrheic women (to avoid endometrial cancer)
. If Y chromosome is present: gonadectomy is indicated
. Many cases require frequent re-evaluation