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Amenorrea primaria - Overview

Nombres alternativos

Ausencia del período (primaria); Ausencia de períodos menstruales (primaria); Ausencia de la menstruación (primaria); Amenorrea de tipo primario

Definición:

La amenorrea es la ausencia de la menstruación. La menstruación es el período mensual de una mujer.

La amenorrea primaria es cuando una niña aún no ha comenzado a tener sus períodos mensualmente y:

  • Ha pasado por otros cambios normales que ocurren durante la pubertad
  • Tiene más de 15 años

Ver también:

Causas, incidencia y factores de riesgo:

La mayoría de las niñas comienzan a menstruar entre los 9 y 18 años, con una edad promedio aproximada a los 12 años. La amenorrea primaria ocurre típicamente cuando una niña es mayor de 15 años y si ha pasado por otros cambios normales que ocurren durante la pubertad. Este tipo de amenorrea puede presentarse con o sin otros signos de la pubertad.

El hecho de nacer con órganos pélvicos o genitales deficientemente formados (ausencia del útero o la vagina, tabique vaginal, estenosis cervical o imperforación del himen) puede llevar a que se presente amenorrea primaria.

Las hormonas juegan un papel importante en el ciclo menstrual de una mujer. Los problemas hormonales se pueden presentar cuando:

  • Los cambios ocurren en las partes del cerebro donde se producen hormonas que ayudan a manejar el ciclo menstrual
  • Los ovarios no están funcionando correctamente

Estos problemas pueden deberse a:

  • Anomalías genéticas
  • Infecciones que ocurren en el útero o después del nacimiento
  • Otras anomalías congénitas
  • Tumores

En muchos casos, la causa de la amenorrea primaria se desconoce.

Las afecciones relacionadas con la amenorrea primaria abarcan:

  • Reviewed last on: 6/16/2010
  • Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Referencias

Lobo RA. Primary and secondary amenorrhea and precocious puberty: Etiology, diagnostic evaluation, management. In: Katz VL, Lentz GM, Lobo RA, Gershenson DM, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:chap 38.

Master-Hunter T, Heiman DL. Amenorrhea: evaluation and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2006;73(8):1374-1382.

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