Delayed puberty and amenorrhea
Hoffman, B.; Bradshaw, K.D.
Seminars in Reproductive Medicine 21(4): 353-362
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 1526-8004 PMID: 14724768 DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-815591Document Number: 263181
The ability to diagnose and manage disorders that cause delayed puberty requires a thorough understanding of the physical and hormonal events of puberty. Wide variation exists within normal pubertal maturation, but most adolescent girls in the United States have begun to mature by the age of 13. Delayed puberty, a rare condition in girls, occurs in only approximately 2.5% of the population. Constitutional delay, genetic defects, or hypothalamic-pituitary disorders are common causes. Amenorrhea, often found as a symptom of delayed puberty, may be due to congenital genital tract anomalies, ovarian failure, or chronic anovulation with estrogen presence or with estrogen absence.