In post-menarcheal females, amenorrhea is defined as absence of at least how many consecutive menstrual cycles?

• A. Absence of one cycle
• B. Absence of at least 3 consecutive menstrual cycles
• C. Absence of two consecutive cycles
• D. Irregular cycles

Answer: (B)

After menarche, amenorrhea means a true absence of menses rather than just irregular timing. The standard threshold is no menstrual bleeding for three consecutive cycles. This reflects a sustained absence rather than a single skipped period or ongoing irregularity. If cycles are irregular but still occur, that does not meet the definition of amenorrhea. Absence of one or two cycles is not enough to define amenorrhea, and irregular cycles describe variability in timing rather than a complete stoppage.