title: Antipsychotic-induced amenorrhea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many antipsychotic drugs used to treat schizophrenia can cause amenorrhea in a significant proportion of women. The overall impact of this side effect has been little studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the literature on the meaning of menstruation to women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a literature review of the meanings of menstruation to women in general, to women of different cultures, and to women with schizophrenia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Many women feel ambivalent with respect to menstruation. Its loss can produce difficulties for women suffering from schizophrenia, such as failure to use contraception, pseudocyesis, denial of pregnancy, erroneous perception of early menopause, or loss of the feeling of femininity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attempts should be made to avoid the antipsychotic side effect of amenorrhea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. mary.seeman@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Mary V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Seeman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents