An endocrine perspective on menstrual suppression for adolescents: achieving good suppression while optimizing bone health

Suppression of menstruation and/or ovarian function in adolescent girls may be desired for a variety of reasons. Numerous medical options exist. The choice of the appropriate modality for an individual patient depends on several factors based on differences in the efficacy of achieving menstrual suppression as well as in their side effect profiles. Adolescence is also a period of bone mass accrual in girls, and several of these modalities may negatively influence peak bone mass. This review focuses on the efficacy of achieving menstrual suppression and the effect on bone health of the various options through an overview of the current literature and also highlights areas in need of further research.

Automated summary

This review discusses the necessity and factors affecting the suppression of menstruation and/or ovarian function in adolescent girls, including medical options, efficacy, side effects, and potential negative impacts on bone health. There is a need for further research in this area to better understand the implications of these modalities on bone mass accrual during adolescence.