Absent and Infrequent Periods: What is oligomenorrhoea?

Objectives:

To evaluate the relationship between body mass index, body fat composition and fat distribution and menstrual dysfunction in collegiate dancing students.

METHOD: A total of 64 dancing students from a collegiate school of dancing were studied through interview by a structured Questionnaire to elicit details of menstrual history, and these were correlated to anthropometric measurements obtained by physical examination.

Results:

There were 22 ballerinas, 16 classic Chinese dancers, and 26 modern or theatrical dancers. Ten (15.6%) had oligomenorrhoea and 12 (18.7%) had amenorrhoea, with a slight, but statistically non-significant preponderance of ballerinas in the amenorrhoeic group. There was no difference in the body mass index among the eumenorrhoeic, oligomenorrhoeic or amenorrhoeic group, but amenorrhoeic dancers had a significantly lower percentage of total body fat as calculated by a 4 site skinfold thickness formula when compared to eumenorrhoeic ones (15.72% vs 17.95%, p<0.05). Amenorrhoeic dancers also had lower waist to hip (p<0.001) and waist to thigh circumference ratios (p<0.001), indicating that they had more feminine figures favoured aesthetically for dancers.

Conclusion:

The data suggests that estimation of percentage of body fat gave a better correlation to menstrual status than either weight or body mass index. Thus, proper nutritional advice based on such evaluation should be an essential component in treating menstrual dysfunction in these dancers.

Please click on the required question.

• 1 What is amenorrhoea?
• 2  What is oligomenorrhoea?
• 3  What are true and false amenorrhoea?
• 4  What is the difference between primary and secondary amenorrhoea?
• 5  Our daughter has not started her periods yet. When should we seek medical advice?
• 6  My periods have stopped. When should I seek medical advise?
• 7  My periods have stopped. How can the cause be determined?
• 8  Can generalised ill health result cause periods to stop?
• 9  I am a keen sportswoman. Could this stop my periods?
• 10 What is hyperprolactinaemia?
• 11 Which investigations are particularly helpful in finding the cause for the cessation of my periods?
• 12 What is karyotyping?
• 13 What is Turner Syndrome?
• 14 What is the testicular feminisation syndrome?
• 15 What is the resistant ovary syndrome?
• 16 What are autoantibodies?
• 17 What is premature ovarian failure (premature menopause)
• 18 What uterine abnormalities may cause amenorrhoea?
• 19 What is Asherman's syndrome?
• 20  What are the late effects of prolonged amenorrhoea?
• 21  How can my amenorrhoea be treated?
• 22  What are the risks and benefits of hormone replacement when used for premature menopause?
• 23 My periods are coming infrequently (oligomenorrhoea). What is likely to be the causes?
• 24  How are infrequent periods investigated?
• 25  How can oligomenorrhoea be treated?
• 26  If my periods are absent or infrequent, do I need contraception?
• 27  Where can I obtain more information?
• 28  Support Groups.
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  This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.

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