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Ovarian Disorders
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/ovariandisorders.html

Ovarian Disorders

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Basics

  • Summary
  • Diagnosis and Tests
  • Treatments and Therapies

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  • Genetics

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Summary

What are ovaries?

The ovaries are a pair of female reproductive glands that make eggs and female hormones. Women have one ovary on each side of the uterus (where a fetus grows during pregnancy). Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond.

Ovaries play a role in menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Your ovaries:

  • Produce and store eggs that are released during ovulation (when an egg leaves the ovary and travels into the fallopian tube). If a sperm fertilizes the egg, you can become pregnant.
  • Make the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
  • Stop making those hormones and releasing eggs during menopause.

Some medical problems can affect the ovaries. These can cause various symptoms, and some ovarian disorders may need prompt treatment.

What are the types of ovarian disorders?

Some problems that can happen with the ovaries can include:

  • Ovarian cancer is when a cancerous tumor forms in the tissues of an ovary.
  • Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs in or on an ovary.
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a set of symptoms related to an imbalance of hormones.
  • Primary ovarian insufficiency is when your ovaries stop working before age 40.
  • Ovarian torsion is a twisting of the ovary.
  • Endometriosis is when tissue like the lining in your uterus grows in other places in your body. It may affect the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and tissue lining the pelvis.
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection and inflammation of the uterus, ovaries, and other female reproductive organs.
  • Ovarian tumors.

What causes ovarian disorders?

Ovarian disorders can happen for different reasons depending on the condition. Sometimes the cause is unknown.

What are the symptoms of ovarian disorders?

Your symptoms may be different, depending on the problem with your ovaries. Some ovarian disorders, such as ovarian cysts, may cause few or even no symptoms. Other disorders may cause more severe symptoms. Symptoms can include:

  • Pelvic pain, which often happens during your period
  • Nausea or diarrhea
  • Vaginal bleeding that is between periods, very heavy, or longer than usual
  • Vaginal discharge
  • Painful menstrual cramps

How are ovarian disorders diagnosed?

To find out if you have a problem with your ovaries, your health care provider:

  • Will ask about your medical history, including your symptoms
  • Will ask about your family health history
  • Will do a physical exam, including a pelvic exam
  • May order imaging tests, or blood tests

What are the treatments for ovarian disorders?

Treatment depends on the ovarian disorder, your symptoms, overall health, and plans for pregnancy. Treatment can include medicines, such as pain relievers or hormonal birth control, lifestyle changes to reduce symptoms, or sometimes surgery. Ovarian cancer may require surgery, chemotherapy, or other targeted therapy.

Diagnosis and Tests

  • DHEA Sulfate Test From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Estrogen Levels Test From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Levels Test From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Laparoscopy From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Pelvis Ultrasound Video (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

  • Pelvic Venous Disorders (Society of Interventional Radiology)

Specifics

  • Adnexal Torsion (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish

Genetics

  • Perrault syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Ovarian Diseases From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

  • Article: Assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of ovarian cryopreservation technology among...
  • Article: Ovarian endometriosis negatively impacts pregnancy outcomes in young infertile women undergoing...
  • Article: Spotlight on Proteases: Roles in Ovarian Health and Disease.
  • Ovarian Disorders -- see more articles

Reference Desk

  • Reproductive System: Female Anatomy From the National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute)

Find an Expert

  • Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health Also in Spanish
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development From the National Institutes of Health Also in Spanish
  • How to Find Find an Ob-Gyn (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

Patient Handouts

  • Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Ovarian overproduction of androgens (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Topic Image

Ovarian Disorders

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

  • Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
  • Ovarian overproduction of androgens
  • Pelvic laparoscopy
  • Pelvis MRI scan

Related Health Topics

  • Ovarian Cancer
  • Ovarian Cysts
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
  • Primary Ovarian Insufficiency

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.

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