Oligomenorrhea is one of the types of menstrual cycle disorders characterized by signs of hypomenstrual syndrome. It manifests itself in the form of an increase in the intervals between menstruation or a reduction in the duration of menstruation. In the first case, the cycle duration exceeds 40 days, and a woman has less than eight menstruations per year. In the second case, the bleeding lasts no more than two days.
The content of the article:
Causes of oligomenorrhea
Symptoms of oligomenorrhea
Diagnosis and treatment of oligomenorrhea
Oligomenorrhea
In some cases, oligomenorrhea is accompanied by diseases such as:
polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition in which the size of the ovaries increases, and they themselves are filled with a lot of fluid bubbles;
endometritis — inflammation of the lining of the uterus (endometrium);
endometriosis is the proliferation of fragments of the uterine mucosa outside of it.
According to statistics, oligomenorrhea occurs in two to three percent of women.
Causes of oligomenorrhea
Oligomenorrhea can be primary or secondary. It depends on the age of the patient and whether she has a normal menstrual cycle before the pathology appears. Primary oligomenorrhea occurs in adolescent girls. In the first years after menarche (the arrival of the first menstrual period), the menstrual cycle begins, and bleeding can be irregular and rare.
In addition, if oligomenorrhea is primary, it may be due to hypoplasia (infantilism) of the uterus. Often, oligomenorrhea is promoted by hypothalamic dysfunction of the puberty period. Finally, a hereditary factor may play a role.
Secondary oligomenorrhea is undoubtedly a deviation. Before her appearance, the girl had consistently regular menstruation, but any disease provoked a malfunction. Most often, the development of oligomenorrhea is promoted by ovarian dysfunction. It, in turn, is caused by the following reasons:
hormonal disorder;
physical activity;
stress;
exhausting diets;
climate change;
taking certain medications;
the beginning of menopause;
neoplasms in the pelvic organs.
If oligomenorrhea is secondary, the doctor will certainly ask if the patient has had abortions. Such interventions often cause menstrual irregularities.
Symptoms of oligomenorrhea
The main manifestation of oligomenorrhea is the intervals between menstruation. And if oligomenorrhea in adolescents can go unnoticed, then an adult woman can notice a lot of unpleasant signs accompanying it. First of all, this is hirsutism — excessive male-type hair loss. Vegetation appears on the face, chest, abdomen, inner thighs — that is, in places where the fair sex should not have it.
Hirsutism is usually caused by an excess of male sex hormones in the blood, which also causes:
physique change: the female figure becomes similar to the male;
overweight;
acne;
decreased libido;
problems with conception.
In most cases, it is the latter factor that makes women start treatment.
Diagnosis and treatment of oligomenorrhea
The first thing you need to realize before you start fighting such a condition as primary or secondary oligomenorrhea is that this is not a disease, but an indicator of some kind of malfunction in the body. Therefore, it is not enough just to make an appropriate diagnosis: you need to find out what caused the oligomenorrhea.
Diagnostic measures include:
Collecting anamnesis. The doctor asks the patient about:
the age of the arrival of the first monthly;
the period during which the cycle has stabilized (if we are talking about secondary oligomenorrhea);
transferred diseases;
the presence of similar problems in relatives;
other related complaints.
It is advisable to take a menstrual calendar with you when going to an appointment.
Gynecological examination:
functional;
instrumental;
laboratory.
Ultrasound of the pelvic organs. In case of oligomenorrhea, it is recommended to conduct a transvaginal study to increase information content.
Blood test for sex hormones:
progesterone;
FSH;
LG;
prolactin;
estradiol.
Hysterosalpingoscopy is a study of the patency of the fallopian tubes.
With oligomenorrhea, consultation with a psychologist or psychotherapist is optional, but still desirable. It is obvious that this pathology with all its manifestations has an extremely negative effect on the patient’s morale. On the other hand, mental well-being is the key to the normal functioning of the reproductive system. Among women with oligomenorrhea, less than 29 percent can boast of the absence of any disorders of the nervous system. Patients admit that with the appearance of the problem, their quality of life decreases in terms of indicators:
health;
sexual activity;
material well-being;
peace of mind;
have a good rest.
Depending on the identified picture of oligomenorrhea, the doctor selects an adequate method of treatment. It should be noted right away that oligomenorrhea is a dangerous pathology, and postponing treatment is unacceptable here. Otherwise, you can lose the chance for the greatest happiness in life — motherhood.
So, if the gynecologist-endocrinologist has established that the patient has oligomenorrhea, treatment is likely to be medicamental. This refers to hormone therapy aimed at eliminating the signs of hypomenstrual syndrome by stimulating ovulation. If the eggs are actively maturing, the duration of the cycle will be reduced. The course of taking the appropriate medications lasts from 10 to 12 days and is repeated every month. Thus, an artificial imitation of the follicular phase is obtained.
Lifestyle correction is enough for some patients:
selection of a proper nutrition scheme;
load reduction;
limiting salt intake;
inclusion of vitamins in the diet.
As a rule, this applies when it comes to primary oligomenorrhea. The secondary one may require more complex treatment, up to surgical intervention. A common surgical method is spot diathermocoagulation of the ovaries, but it is contraindicated for unborn girls. The scar tissue formed after such cauterization can subsequently interfere with the normal birth process. An alternative to this procedure may be radio wave coagulation, which is more gentle.
After completing the course of treatment, some patients are prescribed a course of physiotherapy, gynecological massage or physical therapy. Such procedures help to improve blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
A patient whose menstruation has become regular and the intervals between them do not exceed 40 days will be considered fully cured. In order to make such a conclusion, a woman will need to keep a calendar, where the following indicators will be taken into account:
start date of monthly;
their duration.
In addition, visits to a gynecologist are mandatory every three months to monitor the patient’s condition. In conclusion, we note that the recovery statistics are quite favorable.
