QuestionDear Edward,
Firstly, thanks for volunteering.
I am writing from Israel
In our circles dates are for marriage purposes only, and there is no physical contact whatsoever..
I am presently meeting a girl, and she has informed me that she had her "period" once (I am not sure if she means it actually occurred 1 time only at about age 12), and then stopped having it. She went to two doctors; one of them says it can be dealt with by certain pills (when the time comes), and the other seemed to say it may be more of a problem.
She is shy about giving me more details, and I am pretty embarrassed to ask for them. Neither of us knows much about these matters anyway (Boy, what an underexaggeration!).
If you absolutely cannot answer without more details, I will get the info you need.
My question is, what are the risks involved, and how frightened should we really be?
Thanks for your help; I really appreciate it!
.
AnswerHello Yehuda from Israel,
Not having regular menstrual cycles in a woman over the age of 16 is abnormal. That means that something is not working, and they need to figure out what the problem is. There are many possibilities such as ovarian disorders, disorders of the pituitary, hypothalamus or thyroid, or genetic disorders. She should be checked out by a reproductive endocrinologist or medical endocrinologist.
These disorders can also affect her ability to become pregnant, and so should be addressed.
In addition, some disorders, such as polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD), can have side effects that develop over time such as obesity, increased facial hair, diabetes, endometrial cancer, etc. That is why women should have a period at least every three months using the birth control pill if they are not trying for pregnancy, even at a young age.
I hope this helps,
Edward J. Ramirez, M.D., FACOG
Executive Medical Director
The Fertility and Gynecology Center
Monterey Bay IVF Program
www.montereybayivf.com
Monterey, California, U.S.A.
for additional information check out my blog at http://womenshealthandfertility.blogspot.com check me out on facebook and twitter with me at @montereybayivf
