Menstrual reproductive disorder

What causes menstrual problems?

There are many things that can cause menstrual problems:

• Irregular or a lack of menstrual periods could be caused by excessive exercise, stress and/or being underweight.
• Too few menstrual periods could be caused by a mild hormone imbalance called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
• Girls with heavy and/or long menstrual periods may be anemic, meaning they have too few red blood cells or too little hemoglobin (oxygen-carrying protein in the red blood cells).

When should we contact a doctor?

Menstrual problems are common in teens. Still, early diagnosis can be helpful for treatment. It’s a good idea to contact your daughter’s health care provider for an evaluation if she:

• has not started to develop breasts by age 13, or started her menstrual period by age 15
• goes more than 2 months between menstrual periods