What Are the Causes of Missed Periods in Teens?

Most doctors consider the normal menstrual cycle to be 28 days long, measured from the start of one period to the start of the next. However, this is just a guide and each woman is slightly different. For teenage girls whose bodies are awash with sexual hormones, it is more common to have irregular periods than a regular cycle. But missed periods are not always normal or benign. The cause can be a serious medical condition. If a teenage girl misses two or more periods, you should at least consider another cause.

Pregnancy

• For a teen who is sexually active, pregnancy is always a possible cause for missed periods. In fact, it should be the first cause you consider in the case of a sexually active teenager. Even if she takes precautions, there is no completely effective way to prevent pregnancy other than abstinence. The best way to determine if pregnancy is the cause of the missed periods is to have a doctor administer a test. Home tests are very accurate, but can't compare with clinically administered tests. Other signs hinting at pregnancy as the cause include weight gain, nausea and tender breasts, but these can also be symptoms of many illnesses and are not conclusive.

  On the flip side of the pregnancy coin are hormonal contraceptives. If the girl is on some form of medicinal birth control, you should expect abnormal periods. In fact, stretches as long as 6 months between periods are normal.

Disease

• There are several diseases that can lead to missed periods. Because periods are hormonally controlled, the most common disease-related causes are those that affect hormones. Some possible examples include ovarian, uterine and brain tumors. Even if the tumors aren't cancerous, they can affect normal hormone production.

  Another common culprit is anorexia. A girl suffering from anorexia eventually enters a state of malnutrition and the body ceases what it determines to be unnecessary functions. Anorexia should be suspected if the missed periods are accompanied by rapid or extreme weight loss.

  A less serious cause of missed periods is simple anemia. If there is no underlying condition causing the problem, dietary change and vitamins may quickly remedy this.

  Unfortunately, there are dozens of other diseases that can also cause missed menstruation. They usually aren't diagnosed until other more common causes have been ruled out.

Stress

• Stress can wreak havoc on the body, causing numerous symptoms. In women, one of the first effects of extreme stress is cessation of menstruation. A girl's teenage years can be extremely stressful for numerous reasons, the least of which is the onset of menstruation itself. If you suspect stress to be the cause, the best course of action is counseling and simply talking to the girl. In extreme cases, there may also be an underlying mental health problem that a mental health professional will need to diagnose.

Exercise

• For girls who are active in demanding sports such as track and field, soccer and gymnastics, missed periods are very common, especially if the girl is already quite thin. Similar to what the body does in the case of anorexia, the body determines that the resources required for menstruation are better used elsewhere. Unless the exercise is accompanied with an eating disorder, there should be no cause for concern and the periods will resume a couple months after the girl reduces the amount of exercise. However, because there may be a more serious reason for the missed periods, you should rule out the other common causes before assuming that exercise is to blame.

Other Causes

• The number of possible causes for missed periods in teenagers is too great to list. But generally there is no need to worry unless other symptoms, whether mental or physical, are present. In fact, it could very well be normal for the girl. Girls just beginning menstruation almost always have irregular periods because of hormonal fluctuations. Unless the girl has missed several consecutive months, normal hormonal changes are as likely a cause as anything.

  Some other possible causes include obesity, sexually transmitted diseases, medications, pelvic disorders and even tobacco use.