Amenorrhea in Adolescent Girls - Assignment Example

Amenorrhea in Adolescent Girls Affiliation: Discuss possible underlying causes of amenorrhea in the adolescent female. Amenorrhea is complete absence of menstrual cycle or an anomaly in the menstrual cycle that was previously normal. It happens during the reproductive period of a woman’s life. The causes may be physical or pathological. Adolescents also experience amenorrhea as a result of various reasons such as use of particular types of contraceptives, intensive physical exercises, not having enough to eat, anatomical defects in the genital tract and ovary insufficiency among other reasons (Hayon, et al. 2013). Adolescence is a confusing period of time when the young girls are still torn between womanhood and being a girl.

Once their menstruation starts, many go for the contraceptives to prevent teenage pregnancies. Even though some use the condoms and pills, there are those that go for long term contraceptives such as intrauterine devices or implants which affect the menstrual flow. The implants for example have hormones that interfere with the body hormones causing the menstrual flow to cease or complete become absent (Hayon, et al. 2013).Adolescents in a bid to find their niche have body image issues and majority are even diagnosed with anorexia nervosa for lack of eating enough as well as vomiting after eating to remain skinny.

With increased lack of food in the body, the menstrual flow starts thinning and may go to the extent of completely stopping (Faust, et al. 2013). The intense exercises some of these adolescents engage in as extracurricular activities in school interfere with the body weight leading to the menses ceasing. This is so because there is suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (Gordon, 2010). The stress of the exercises also contributes to the lack of menstrual flow. How would you discuss this with the patient?

Give specific examples.Identification of the cause of amenorrhea in this adolescent group is easier than trying to discuss it with the patient and getting them to undergo therapy to correct the problem. The first thing in this process is to create a rapport with the adolescent by making them see you understand their problem and what they are going through (Gordon, 2010). This can be obtained even through provision of acceptable personal stories from adolescent years. This will create a level of trust and open up the female for discussion about correcting the problem.

The other key to discuss with the patient is to get a young female doctor whom they are likely to adore and listen to and whom they admire. The sessions should be discussion letting the adolescent engage as well and making the solutions seem to come from them rather than the doctor. Importance of menstrual flow should be insisted as well (Faust, et al. 2013). For those whose problem is brought about by vigorous exercises, the discussion would be centered on reducing the exercises slightly into acceptable standards which will ensure the girl still exercises and is able to get her menses back.

For those with weight issues, an effective dietary plan that will enable them maintain the perfect body size and still have energy is recommended for discussion. Introduction to fat-elimination exercises and a proper healthy diet is the solution and this might be accepted if it will ensure they still remain “skinny.” Change of contraceptive is the only solution as long as explanation of the other types of contraceptives such as the pill and its effectiveness is explained as well (Gordon, 2010).

ReferencesFaust, J. et al. (2013). Resumption of menses in anorexia nervosa during a course of family- based treatment. Journal of Eating Disorders, 1: 12. Retrieved from http://www.jeatdisord.com/content/1/1/12Gordon, C. (2010, July). Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea. The New England Journal of Medicine, 363: 365-371. Retrieved from http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMcp0912024?viewType=Print&Hayon, R. et al. (2013, August). Reproductive Health Care of Adolescent Women. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 26(4): 460-469.

Retrieved from: http://www.jabfm.org/content/26/4/460.full