Secondary amenorrhea is defined as absence of menses for more than 3 months in a patient with previously normal menses.

• A. Absence of menses for more than 3 months in a patient with previously normal menses
• B. Absence of menses for more than 3 years
• C. Absence of menses for more than 1 month
• D. Absence of menses for more than 2 weeks

Answer: (A)

Secondary amenorrhea is defined by the cessation of menses for a period long enough to be considered a true stop in a person who has had normal menses before. The key threshold is more than 3 months, which helps distinguish a true stop from shorter, temporary delays caused by stress, illness, or weight changes. The statement that menses are absent for more than 3 months in someone with prior normal menses matches this criterion exactly, making it the best choice. Shorter gaps—like 1 month or 2 weeks—do not meet the definition, while a longer gap (such as 3 years) would still be described using the same 3-month cutoff in practice, but the defining moment remains the >3-month threshold.