Evaluation and Management of Menstrual Dysfunction in Athletes
- Mona Shangold, MD;
- Robert W. Rebar, MD;
- Anne Colston Wentz, MD;
- Isaac Schiff, MD
- From the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, Pa (Dr Shangold); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. University of Cincinnati (Ohio) College of Medicine (Dr Rebar); Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, III (Dr Wentz): and Vincent Memorial Gynecology Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (Dr Schiff).
Abstract
The prevalence of menstrual dysfunction is greater among athletes than in the general population. Many factors undergo change during the course of an athletic training program and any or all of these may contribute to disturbances in menstrual cyclicity. All athletes with oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea, or menarcheal delay require thorough evaluation to rule out serious pathological conditions, since the diagnosis of exercise-associated menstrual dysfunction can be made only by excluding other etiologic factors. Most athletes who have these problems should be treated to prevent undesirable sequelae.
(JAMA. 1990;263:1665-1669)
Footnotes
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Reprint requests to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hahnemann University, MS958, 1427 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19102 (Dr Shangold).
