Treatment of functional hypothalamic amenorrhea with hypnotherapy.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of hypnotherapy on resumption of menstruation in patients with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA). DESIGN Uncontrolled clinical study. SETTING Academic clinical care center. PATIENT(S) Twelve consecutive women with FHA were selected. INTERVENTION(S) A single 45- to 70-minute session of hypnotherapy was administered, and patients were observed for 12 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Patients were asked whether or not menstruation resumed and whether or not well-being and self-confidence changed. RESULT(S) Within 12 weeks, 9 out of 12 patients (75%) resumed menstruation. All of the patients, including those who did not menstruate, reported several beneficial side effects such as increased general well-being and increased self-confidence. CONCLUSION(S) Hypnotherapy could be an efficacious and time-saving treatment option that also avoids the pitfalls of pharmacological modalities for women with FHA.