Pain in the ovaries: all causes, in pregnancy and otherwise
Pain in the ovaries can have many causes: it can represent a symptom of pregnancy, or be linked to ovulation or to different phases of the menstrual cycle. In severe cases it can represent one of the symptoms of gynecological pathologies such as ovarian cancer, disease pelvic inflammatory disease, polycystic ovary syndrome or others. In these situations, as well as with confirmed pregnancy, pelvic pain is never to be underestimated: you must immediately contact a specialist for the necessary investigations.
Pain in the lower abdomen, the main symptom with which this discomfort occurs, can also be related to problems related to premestural syndrome.
The ovaries are nothing more than two glands that are located to the right and left of the uterus and have a length of about 4 centimeters. It is the ovaries that produce, in addition to hormones, the oocytes that we excrete during menstruation or that can come fertilized by sperm and lead to pregnancy.
Pain in the ovaries can affect both sides of the lower abdomen, or occur only on the left or right side. This can be sudden pain, a sharp cramp, or persistent and prolonged but less intense pelvic pain. The pain can then be accompanied by white vaginal discharge or blood loss, depending on the cause that caused it. Let's analyze together all the possible origins of the disorder to understand how to behave.
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Pain in the ovaries and menstruation
Pelvic pain can be present at different stages of our menstrual cycle. Before menstruation it is completely physiological: it occurs in women during ovulation, when the follicle releases the mature egg which then moves into the fallopian tubes. If you happen to experience pelvic pain around the 14th day after your last menstruation, this is undoubtedly the cause.
Pain in the ovaries during menstruation, on the other hand, is due to the contraction of the uterus and the corpus luteum, a gland that - once ovulation has occurred - produces progesterone and estrogen to prepare for a possible pregnancy. If fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum is reabsorbed, but - if this absorption does not occur - it can generate a luteal cyst which causes pelvic pain. Again there is no need to worry: the pain will go away as soon as the corpus luteum is reabsorbed.
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If the disturbance during the menstrual cycle should be very intense and accompanied by a particularly abundant flow, it is always good to contact your gynecologist for the necessary checks.
If the discomfort occurs, however, in the days following menstruation, it could be due to a new maturation of the follicles or to an early ovulation. Also in this case, do not worry, but it is good to contact your gynecologist in case the pain should be very intense and persistent.
Finally, pain in the ovaries can be one of the symptoms of PMS, which many women suffer from. Here is a video that explains what are the 5 fundamental signs to understand if you also suffer from PMS:
Pain in the ovaries in pregnancy
Lower abdominal pains are one of the first symptoms of pregnancy. In fact, they can occur from the first weeks of pregnancy and are completely physiological. They are caused by hormonal changes due to the changes taking place in the female body. Many women happen to mistake them for the normal discomfort in the lower abdomen that precede the arrival of menstruation, from which - in fact - they do not differ.
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However, if pelvic pain occurs in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, you should contact your doctor immediately, because it could represent a symptom of the following problematic situations: presence of a uterine fibroid (a benign tumor of the ovary ), a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy (when the fetus does not develop inside the uterus).
Pay particular attention if the pain becomes very intense and if there is blood loss: in these cases it is advisable to go directly to the emergency room.
Other possible causes
See also: The problems of pregnancy: daily difficulties of a pregnant woman according to Line Severinsen
Among the other possible gynecological reasons for pelvic pain we find first of all the polycystic ovary syndrome: it is a hormonal disorder that presents with an irregular cycle, excessive hair growth and android obesity - all symptoms related to the high presence in the male hormone blood. Women who suffer from it can have symptoms of varying intensity, including - precisely - pelvic pain.
Another possible cause is the presence of ovarian cysts and in particular dermoid cysts, a benign tumor that can affect only one ovary or both. Ovarian cysts are usually asymptomatic, but dermoid cysts are not uncommon for pelvic pain and discharge. blood, as well as irregularities in the cycle.
Pain, again, can represent a symptom of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, a "bacterial infection involving the reproductive organs of women (uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries), usually due to the spread of an" infection from an adjacent organ (such as the appendix in case of appendicitis), from the blood or from the vaginal region.
Finally, pelvic pain can be due to endometriosis or the presence of ovarian cancer.
For further scientific information on the subject, you can consult the Alessandra Graziottin Foundation website.
