Secondary amenorrhea in adolescent girls during the war in Ukraine: a priority issue and the effectiveness of Vitex agnus-castus therapy

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18370/2309-4117.2026.83.62-66

Keywords:

secondary amenorrhea, adolescents, stress, war, hyperprolactinemia, Vitex agnus-castus

Abstract

Objective of the study: to determine the dynamics of menstrual function disorders in adolescent girls over the past three years of the war in Ukraine (March 2022 – March 2025), to identify secondary amenorrhea as the predominant disorder, and to evaluate the effectiveness of Vitex agnus-castus (BNO1095) monotherapy in patients with functional disorders and borderline elevated prolactin levels.
Materials and methods. A single-center prospective non-interventional observational study was conducted involving adolescent girls over the past three years (March 2022 – March 2025), with a retrospective comparative analysis of the pre-war period (2019–2021). The analysis included 358 adolescents aged 14–17 years who sought medical care for menstrual function disorders. The frequency of secondary amenorrhea and the effectiveness of Vitex agnus-castus (BNO1095) monotherapy administered for 3–6 months were analyzed separately.
In the examined girls, prolactin levels in most cases were at the upper limit of the reference range (22–23 ng/mL), which was interpreted as borderline hyperprolactinemia without signs of organic pathology, with further division into two groups - the main and control (n =179 in each). The main group was selected to evaluate the effectiveness of Vitex agnus-castus (BNO1095) as a therapeutic option for prolactin-dependent menstrual disorders.
Results. Over the three years of the war, secondary amenorrhea became the leading menstrual disorder (43.2% of cases), with a statistically significant predominance over dysmenorrhea and oligomenorrhea (p < 0.05). Vitex agnus-castus (BNO1095) monotherapy resulted in restoration of menstruation in 82.5% of cases compared to 39.6% in the control group.
Conclusions. Secondary amenorrhea has become a leading reproductive health issue among adolescents during the war. Effective restoration of menstrual function and reduction of prolactin levels can be achieved with Vitex agnus-castus (BNO1095) monotherapy, even when used off-label in adolescents; however, this approach requires confirmation in randomized controlled trials.

Author Biography

O.M. Susidko, LLC «Medical Center of Doctor Nikolaev», Dnipro

PhD, obstetrician-gynecologist, pediatric and adolescent gynecologist, ultrasound specialist, general director

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Published

2026-05-14

How to Cite

Susidko, O. (2026). Secondary amenorrhea in adolescent girls during the war in Ukraine: a priority issue and the effectiveness of Vitex agnus-castus therapy . REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY, (83), 62–66. https://doi.org/10.18370/2309-4117.2026.83.62-66

Issue

No. 83 (2026)

Section

Gynecology

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