The causes of primary amenorrhea.

Choi, Young Min; Ku, Seung Yup; Chae, Ho Jin; Jeong, Hyeon Jeong; Kim, Ki Dong; Kim, Hoon; Kim, Jeong Hwa; Kim, Tai June; Chung, Hyun Hoon; Suh, Chang Suk; Kim, Seok Hyun; Kim, Jung Gu; Moon, Shin Yong; Lee, Jin Yong

Original Article

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2001;44(10):1834-1837.
Published online October 1, 2001.

The causes of primary amenorrhea.

Young Min Choi, Seung Yup Ku, Ho Jin Chae, Hyeon Jeong Jeong, Ki Dong Kim, Hoon Kim, Jeong Hwa Kim, Tai June Kim, Hyun Hoon Chung, Chang Suk Suh, Seok Hyun Kim, Jung Gu Kim, Shin Yong Moon, Jin Yong Lee

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
²Institute of Reproductive Medicine and Population, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To identify the causes of primary amenorrhea in the Korean population. METHODS: We reviewed the available medical records of the 100 patients who had visited the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Seoul National University Hospital with the complaint of primary amenorrhea and examined their karyotypes between January 1989 and December 2000. Review of history, physical examination, laboratory findings, imaging studies, and operative findings was done, when needed. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 25.1+/-6.1 (mean+/-S.D.) years of age, ranged 14 to 40. Mllerian agenesis was the most common cause (40.0%), followed by primary ovarian failure (33.0%), and then followed by hypothalamic-pituitary failure (12.0%). Androgen insensitivity syndrome and Swyer syndrome were found in four patients (4.0%), respectively. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the common cases of primary amenorrhea in Korean women are Mllerian agenesis, primary ovarian failure and hypothalamic-pituitary failure.

Key Words: Primary amenorrhea, Causes, Korean