Oligomenorrhea

Causes

Oligomenorrhea can be a result of prolactinomas (adenomas of the anterior pituitary). It may be caused by thyrotoxicosis, hormonal changes in perimenopause, Prader–Willi syndrome, and Graves' disease.

Endurance exercises such as running or swimming can affect the reproductive physiology of female athletes. Female runners, swimmers and ballet dancers either menstruate infrequently in comparison to non-athletic females of comparable age or exhibit amenorrhea. A more recent study shows that athletes competing in sports that emphasize thinness or a specific weight exhibit a higher rate of menstrual dysfunction than either athletes competing in sports with less focus on these or control subjects.

Breastfeeding has been linked to irregularity of menstrual cycles due to hormones that delay ovulation.

People with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are also likely to have oligomenorrhea. PCOS is a condition in which excessive androgens (male sex hormones) are released by the ovaries. People with PCOS show menstrual irregularities that range from oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea, to very heavy, irregular periods. The condition affects about 6% of premenopausal females.

Eating disorders can result in oligomenorrhea. Although menstrual disorders are most strongly associated with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa may also result in oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea. There is some controversy regarding the mechanism for the menstrual dysregulation, since amenorrhea may sometimes precede substantial weight loss in some anorexics.

References

References

1. (2023). "Oligomenorrhea". StatPearls Publishing.
2. (1979). "Menstrual dysfunction in distance runners". Obstet Gynecol.
3. (1982). "Reproductive system function in women cross-country runners". Med Sci Sports Exerc.
4. Frisch RE. (1981). "Delayed menarche and amenorrhea of college athletes in relation to age of onset of training". JAMA.
5. Warren MP. (1980). "The effects of exercise on pubertal progression and reproductive function in girls". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab..
6. Torsiveit, MK. (2005). "Participation in leanness sports but not training volume is associated with menstrual dysfunction: a national survey of 1276 elite athletes and controls". British Journal of Sports Medicine.