HA (hypothalamic)
Hypothalamic amenorrhea
Closest connections · tap one to go there
When the hypothalamus, the brain's hormone control centre, dials down the signals that run your cycle and periods pause. It's commonly associated with stress, under-eating, intense exercise or weight loss.
You might notice
- no period for three months or more
- periods that paused during a stressful season
- periods that faded with intense training
- periods that stopped after eating less or losing weight
Who can help
- Dr. Hannah Moore · Naturopathic Doctor (ND)Also works with missing periods (amenorrhea)Profile →
- Dr. Michelle Cárdenas, ND · Naturopathic Doctor (ND)Also works with missing periods (amenorrhea)Profile →
- Dr. Mona Chiniwala · MD, Internal Medicine · Integrative MedicineAlso works with stressProfile →
A naturopathic doctor, nurse practitioner or women's health doctor is a good first stop. Acupuncture is often a gentle support alongside.
See everyone for your cycle →
Where it can overlap
- Under-fuelling (LEA)
HA (hypothalamic) is commonly associated with under-fuelling (LEA). Established
- Missing periods
HA (hypothalamic) can overlap with missing periods. Established
- Stress
HA (hypothalamic) can overlap with stress. Established
- PCOS / PMOS
HA (hypothalamic) is often explored alongside PCOS / PMOS. Established
Established: well documented · Associated: linked, not a cause · Emerging: early research · Woo exploration: worth exploring, not yet sourced. A link isn't a cause.
Keep exploring
4 sources · how we checked
Everything on this page was researched from clinical guidance, government health sources and published reviews first, then single studies. Where a connection is only worth exploring, it says so.
- Endocrine Society experts issue Clinical Practice Guideline on hypothalamic amenorrhea Endocrine Society · 2017 · Professional medical organisation
- Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline Endocrine Society (The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism) · 2017 · Clinical guideline
- Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Cleveland Clinic · 2022 · Academic medical centre
- What causes amenorrhea? Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH · 2017 · Government health source
A note from Woo: Body Map is here to help you explore and ask better questions. It isn't a diagnostic tool or a substitute for medical care. Relationships shown here represent areas that may be associated or worth exploring, not a diagnosis or statement of cause.
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