Indiscriminate use of contraceptives by women of child-bearing age causes amenorrhea, a Lagos-based expert has warned.
The Medical Director of G-Spring Hospital and Fertility Centre, Dr Abayomi Shonubi gave the advice on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
The gynaecologist said that amenorrhea could occur as side effect of medication or an indication of a medical problem.
Dr Shonubi, who defined amenorrhea as the absence of menstrual period when a woman was still in her reproductive years, however, said there are two types of amenorrhea.
According to him, amenorrhea can be natural or induce. It can occur during pregnancy and breastfeeding, when menstruation stops in some women.
He said that the primary type of amenorrhea occurred when a girl of between 15 and16 years of age never experience menstruation due to genetic disorder or abnormal female reproductive organs.
Shonubi said that the secondary aspect occurred when a woman had experienced menstrual period but stopped for four or more consecutive months.
The gynaecologist said that the secondary amenorrhea could occur due to pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, emotional stress, premature ovarian failure and chemotherapy.
He attributed oral contraceptives, certain medications and low body weight of about 10 per cent under normal weight, obesity, eating disorder, excessive exercise and stress as causative factors that could make menstrual cycle to stop.
Shonubi blamed the development of the condition on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), overactive thyroid, underactive thyroid, pituitary tumour and premature menopause.
He added that the problems such as uterine scaring; Asherman’s syndrome, which occurs after dilation and curettage (DC), caesarean section and treatment of uterine fibroids, could predispose a woman to the condition.
He, however, said that primary amenorrhea could occur due to lack of reproductive organs being fully developed or even absence.
He advised patients with secondary amenorrhea caused by hormonal imbalance to use prescribed contraceptive pills and other hormone therapies in order to help restore ceased menstrual cycle.
Shonubi also suggested surgery in patients suffering from tumours and structural blockage
