Young women often have many questions, especially regarding the onset of their first menstrual period. It is an event that needs to be understood in order to prepare for it. While the menstrual cycle is generally regular in older women, it can look quite different during puberty. It is often irregular from one cycle to the next, both in duration and in the amount of bleeding flow. In some young women, menstruation may even be completely absent.
Menstrual disorders in puberty
(a) Definition of the different types of cycles
Menstrual cycle disorders are by no means abnormal phenomena during puberty. Rather, they are a sign of the changes that occur in the body as well as its ongoing adaptation. In young women, three major types of cycles are distinguished:
- The so-called normal cycle: here, menstruation occurs at regular intervals, and the amount of blood is more or less the same each time.
- The irregular cycle: It is characterized by bleeding at random intervals.
- The strong cycle is characterized by heavier bleeding than average.
(b) First menstruation in puberty
"Whatever type of cycle concerns you: it says nothing about the proper functioning of your reproductive system and your fertility. In teenage girls, the first period often occurs before ovulation. In fact, it is a sign of a healthy body that is ready to adapt to this new state."
Most young women have an irregular menstruation. During the first years of having a period, it has been shown that most teenage girls menstruate on average twice a year. This high irregularity is often accompanied by heavy bleeding. For this reason, Sisters Republic menstrual underwear is very popular among teenagers due to its high comfort and absorbency.
This situation of the absence of menstruation for several months is everyday life for most young women. Since the regulation of the menstrual cycle is part of puberty, you shouldn't be too worried about an irregular period. However, it is important to think about the possible causes of this phenomenon to determine whether a doctor's advice is necessary.
Find out the possible causes for the absence of menstrual bleeding
(a) Psychological state and absence of regulation
The puberty itself is often a complex time for a young woman that she has to deal with. The psychological state can directly influence or worsen the physical symptoms of puberty. Therefore, it is difficult to determine a cycle disorder during puberty. In addition to the still new pains in the lower abdomen, thefear of thefirst menstruation and the perception of one's own body in young women have a significant impact on menstruation. This stress can lead to a missed period. Therefore, it canthe support of adolescent girls during their first menstruation often help to better accept these symptoms. A reduction in a teenage girl's stress level may be enough to allow the period to resume and regulate the cycle.
(b) Possible causes
"In addition to puberty, cycle disorders in adolescents or the complete absence of menstruation can also be a sign of more serious causes. Therefore, it is important that you inform yourselves about the various possible causes of this disorder."
Possible causes of an abnormal cycle or a missed menstruation:
- Genital infections, possibly caused by sexual intercourse.
- Eating disorders, particularly anorexia, which often occurs in young women.
- Von Willebrand disease is often hereditary and is caused by a specific protein in the blood. It is characterized by very severe bleeding.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, characterized by an abnormally high presence of androgens (male hormones). This syndrome can lead to particularly long cycles or the complete absence of menstruation.
- A tumor whose size and danger must be examined.
- A pregnancy.
The causes for the absence of the rule are therefore numerous; only a specialist is able to determine the exact causes of this phenomenon.
Treatment for absent menstruation during puberty
a) When should one see a doctor?
As already mentioned, the first menstruation in teenage girls is rarely regular from the start. It can take several years for a so-called normal cycle to settle in. Additionally, the length of a cycle is very variable and only a guideline, so there is no need to worry too much. It takes one to two years to determine whether a cycle is actually irregular and whether the absence of menstruation persists. A simple gynecological examination is sufficient to determine whether the absence of menstruation is a cause for concern or not. If pathological causes or specific conditions are behind the cycle disturbances, the specialist can recognize them. There are also other, more significant criteria that may prompt you to see a gynecologist: young women whose breasts have not developed by the age of 13 or whose period has not started by the age of 15.
(b) What treatment options are available?
As is often the case in medicine, the treatment options are as numerous as the causes of a missed menstruation. It is therefore necessary to know the origin of the disorder before attempting to eliminate it. By treating the cause, the menstrual cycle can usually regulate itself naturally.
There are solutions that can normalize the cycle. However, these should only be implemented once all pathological causes have been ruled out. In adolescent girls, generally progestins are used to support hormone production. They are available in the form of a medication, an implant, or an IUD. The birth control pill also helps to regulate the cycle.
Attention: Even without menstruation, a teenager can become pregnant. The use of contraceptives is therefore still essential. In fact, an irregular cycle where menstruation is absent is not an indicator of a young woman's fertility. Even a very irregular cycle can lead to pregnancy with unprotected sexual intercourse.
