Adolescent amenorrhea

Abstract

The evaluation and treatment of amenorrhea in an adolescent woman presents many difficult situations and pitfalls. Individually, few of the etiologic entities are common. Interaction with the patients can be difficult as they are physically but not emotionally or sexually mature. There is no cure for some of the causes of amenorrhea, and others by their nature dictate that the woman will never bear children. In some cases, there are sexual identification problems with differences between the chromosomal, gonadal, and phenotypic sex of a person. Other cases require extensive operative procedures with associated acceptance and adjustment problems. The evaluation and treatment of adolescent amenorrhea therefore challenge the physician on several fronts. There is much satisfaction to be gained in meeting this challenge well.