19-Year-Old Who Never Had Her Period Left Stunned By Unexpected Diagnosis

Saffron Devereux McCarthy sought a consultation with a doctor when she grew concerned that she still hadn’t started her period by the age of 17.

The teen suspected that the issue might be linked to the fact that she was born with a single kidney, positioned unusually in her pelvic region, and that it was “messing with my hormones or organs,” she told Newsweek.

In early 2024, she was referred to a kidney specialist who, to her surprise, offered no explanation for her question.

Between the ages of 17 and 19, she consulted various specialists to get answers about why she hadn’t menstruated.

Teen girl with dark hair in a black gothic dress standing in a modern kitchen, representing period diagnosis story.

At 17, Saffron Devereux McCarthy sought medical advice after growing worried that she had not yet started her period

Image credits: saffronmcc

These consultations were spaced out over months due to the difficulty of securing an appointment in Ireland, Saffron said.

One of her medical appointments was with an endocrinologist, who ordered blood tests and an ultrasound.

Saffron finally learned the correct diagnosis during an ultrasound in June 2025, when doctors said they couldn’t find her uterus.

Feeling confused and anxious about the results, the 19-year-old returned four months later for a follow-up appointment at St. James’s Hospital in Dublin, where doctors confirmed she had been born without a uterus.

Young woman with red hair and facial piercings sharing her story about never having her period and medical diagnosis.

Image credits: saffronmcc

“I broke down in tears and so did my mom,” Saffron told Newsweek.

Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome  is a congenital condition resulting from incomplete development of the upper vagina, cervix and uterus/womb during early fetal development.

The condition is rather rare, affecting approximately 1 in 4,500 female infants.

She suspected her kidney anomaly might be linked to the issue, but initial consultations with specialists offered no answers

19-year-old woman with vibrant red hair in grocery store and casual setting, highlighting medical diagnosis and health awareness.

Image credits: saffronmcc

Two people exchanging a sanitary pad in a bathroom, highlighting 19-year-old who never had her period.

Image credits: Annika Gordon/Unsplash

“The exact cause is not fully understood, though both genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a role,” Dr. Sotirios Saravelos, a gynaecologist and subspecialist in reproductive medicine and surgery at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust told Bored Panda in an email.

“A frequent misconception is that women with MRKH do not have ovaries and cannot have their own biological babies. 

“However, with appropriate medical support and with advances in fertility treatment they can now have their own biological children.”

After two years of seeking medical explanations, she finally learned during a June 2025 ultrasound that she had no uterus

Doctor performing an ultrasound on a young woman experiencing delayed period for unexpected diagnosis in a clinical setting

Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash

Though individuals with MRKH do not have a functional uterus, their ovaries are usually “entirely normal,” the gynaecologist explained.

“This means they can have their own biological/genetic children through IVF and gestational surrogacy.

“The way we do this is by performing IVF treatment where we collect eggs from a woman with MRKH, fertilise (i.e join) them with sperm to form embryos and then transfer these embryos into another woman with a uterus (called the surrogate). 

“A surrogate can be a relative such as a sister or cousin, a friend or any other woman who wishes to altruistically help these women with MRKH have a baby.”

Model of female reproductive system with ultrasound scans, stethoscope, and medical forms for period diagnosis examination.

Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash

An alternative option for those with MRKH who want to become parents is to undergo a uterine transplant.

Dr. Saravelos said the procedure “is an emerging option that has enabled some women with MRKH carry a pregnancy, though it remains highly specialised and limited to a few centres worldwide.”

The first baby born after a uterine transplant in the UK was at the Imperial College NHS hospital, the expert said.

Saffron was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, a rare congenital disorder affecting 1 in 4,500 females

@saffronmcc trying not to crash out. why are women’s health so disregarded #ireland#mrkh♬ original sound – ssversion

People with MRKH syndrome may have issues with their kidneys or spine, as Saffron does.

“The kidneys develop nearby during the same time as the reproductive organs which helps explain why some individuals with MRKH also present with kidney anomalies,” Dr. Saravelos explained.

However, MRKH does not affect puberty, since puberty in females is driven primarily by the ovaries, which produce estrogen and other hormones that trigger breast growth and pubic hair, not the uterus.

Saffron said the diagnosis hasn’t “fully sunk in yet.”

Young woman with long black hair and facial piercings, highlighting a 19-year-old who never had her period medical story.

Image credits: saffronmcc

Young woman posing indoors, highlighting her story of a 19-year-old who never had her period diagnosis.

Image credits: saffronmcc

The doctor who delivered the news wasn’t very empathetic, the teen shared on her TikTok account.

“She just said things like, ‘It’s not the end of the world’ and ‘other women experience this too,’ which didn’t reassure me at all,” she said. “I walked out of that appointment feeling frustrated and hopeless.”

Saffron said she’s still in “utter disbelief” that experts didn’t order an ultrasound immediately, given the anomalies with her kidney, and concluded, “I just need to process it now, but I know I’ll get through it!!”

“Surely checking this has to nearly be step 1, or at least top 3,” one reader commented

Comment from user WinstonTheBeagle expressing surprise about no immediate ultrasound done for diagnosis.

Social media user reacting with sympathy to story about 19-year-old who never had her period diagnosis.

Comment discussing the ranking for a topic related to a 19-year-old who never had her period unexpected diagnosis.

Comment on social media expressing concern and support for a 19-year-old who never had her period diagnosis.

Comment on social media post discussing groups on Facebook, related to a 19-year-old who never had her period diagnosis.

Comment expressing sympathy and frustration about women's healthcare not being taken seriously, highlighting healthcare concerns.

Comment on social media showing support after 19-year-old who never had her period receives an unexpected diagnosis.

Comment on social media post showing surprise about a 19-year-old who never had her period and an unexpected medical diagnosis.

Social media comment from a user named evie, with a colorful profile photo, expressing a kind message saying hope you are doing well.

Comment text discussing delay in ordering a scan, related to a 19-year-old who never had her period diagnosis.

Comment expressing sympathy about delayed diagnosis for 19-year-old who never had her period situation.

Comment expressing sympathy and support about a 19-year-old who never had her period and received an unexpected diagnosis.

Comment from user Astral expressing sympathy about a shocking and sad unexpected diagnosis in a medical case.

Comment from user Riri questioning how a medical condition related to never having a period could be missed.

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!