amenorrhea

American  

[ey-men-uh-ree-uh, uh-men-] / eɪˌmɛn əˈri ə, əˌmɛn- /

Or amenorrhoea

noun

Pathology.

1. absence of the menses.

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amenorrhea Scientific  

/ ā-mĕn′ə-rē′ə /

1. The absence of menstruation in a woman between puberty and menopause. Some causes include pregnancy, decreased body weight, endocrine and other medical disorders, and certain medications.

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Other Word Forms

• amenorrheal adjective
• amenorrheic adjective
• amenorrhoeal adjective
• amenorrhoeic adjective

Etymology

Origin of amenorrhea

First recorded in 1795–1805; a- ⁶ + meno- + -rrhea

Example Sentences

Dr. Smith: Weight loss, changes in bone density and amenorrhea, which is when females aren’t menstruating.

From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2024

Most astronauts choose to opt-out of menstruation altogether for the course of their space-faring, known as medically-induced amenorrhea.

From Salon • Jul. 30, 2023

The prolonged starvation of anorexia can lead to low estrogen and progesterone in women, often accompanied by amenorrhea.

From Washington Post • Jul. 26, 2022

One estimate suggests that the majority of female runners might experience amenorrhea, which can affect not just fertility, as Christine Yu explains here in Outside, but can also damage cardiovascular health and bone strength.

From Slate • Nov. 8, 2019

When the menses are skipped, or when they are so scanty that you can hardly notice any blood, we use the term amenorrhea.

From Woman Her Sex and Love Life by Robinson, William J.