Anovulatory cycles due to an immature hormonal loop in younger women especially can cause infrequent periods. See the section on anovulatory cycles above. Medication interactions, especially in women on the pill, also missed pills can cause a cycle to become irregular. Rarely when the periods cease and nipple discharge is present a tumor called a pituitary adenoma is the cause. Your doctor can draw a prolactin level to check for this problem.
Polycystic ovaries can cause infrequency or cessation of menses.
The syndrome is treated by hormone therapy to normalize the menstrual cycles and by diet and exercise to manage the obesity. If obesity can be avoided, the cholesterol and insulin resistance tendencies can be minimized. See Weight Loss and Cholesterol sections. The hirsutism can be managed with electrolysis or laser hair removal techniques if desired.