[The place of oral contraceptives and pregnancy in the aetiology of amenorrhoea, a study of 188 cases of secondary amenorrhoea lasting more than one year (author's transl)].

188 patients who had secondary amenorrhoea lasting more than a year were investigated in the same way, in a continuous series, and were classified: - under 6 diagnostic headings: 22 cases of hyperprolactinaemia, 40 cases of primary amenorrhoea, 51 cases of anorexia nervosa, 52 cases of psychogenic amenorrhoea, 9 cases of premature menopause and 5 pregnancies. - and in 3 groups: Group I : 28 cases of amenorrhoea which have been diagnosed as due to the stopping of oral contraception. Group II : 25 cases of amenorrhoea which were found immediately post-partum. Group III : 135 cases of amenorrhoea which did not come into these categories. The authors noted that hyperprolactinaemia was more common and anorexia nervosa was less common in Group I and II as compared with Group III. The results have been interpreted against the age of the patient at the time of diagnosis, at the time of their last period and the relationship to the interval between the amenorrhoea starting and the consultation. A review of the literature demonstrates the methodological problems that are shown up in interpreting these results.