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Get to Know Your Ovaries with These Simple
Facts
As a woman, it is important to take control of your health by
arming yourself with useful facts about your body. Studies have
shown time and again that the health care that women receive
from their doctors is less effective overall than the health
care that men receive – so much more is known about how
illnesses affect men and about men’s health in general than
about women’s health issues.
What that means for you is that you need to be an active
participant in your health care and be ready to ask your doctor
meaningful questions – and in some cases, demand action. You
will be in a much better position to work with your doctor to
maintain your health when you know the facts about your body.
One part of a woman’s body that you may not give much thought
to, but that can have a big effect on your health, are your
ovaries. Don’t worry; you don’t need a medical degree to get
the basic story about your ovaries straight. With a few simple
facts, you’ll be more in tune with your body and the role that
your ovaries play in your health.
When you are looking at a diagram of the female reproductive
system, the ovaries are easy to spot. The ovaries, which are
oval in shape, sit on top of the fallopian tubes, on either
side of the uterus. Most women have two ovaries – one on each
side – but many women have only one ovary, having either been
born that way or having had one removed to address a health
problem such as cancer. Though the ovaries are quite small,
they play a crucial role in fertility.
The most important process that takes place in the ovaries is
ovulation. In layman’s terms, the ovaries are the storage
facility for your eggs. It is within your ovaries that your
eggs mature and are then released every month through the
process of ovulation. Each ovary holds approximately 400,000
follicles, which all have the potential to develop into
fertilizable eggs. During your menstrual cycle, a reduction in
estrogen levels and an increase in follicle stimulating hormone
(FSH) levels cause approximately 10 follicles to develop into
fully fledge eggs.
A subsequent increase in estrogen levels causes one of the eggs
(which is still within a follicle) to attach to the inner edge
of the ovary. Once the follicle and egg reach that position,
the ovary and follicle each open and the egg is sent down the
fallopian tube. Once this egg is released into the fallopian
tube, pregnancy is possible at any point until the egg reaches
the uterus.
With such a central role in fertility and the menstrual cycle,
problems within the ovaries can cause women many headaches. For
some women, ovulation is painful and brings with it many of the
same symptoms of PMS and menstrual cramping. These women often
experience more severe PMS and periods than other, so the
monthly cycle can seriously interfere with day to day life. If
you have ovulation pain, your doctor has medications which can
help.
Ovarian cysts and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) are two
other ovarian related health problems. Ovarian cysts are actual
growths on the ovaries that are usually benign but may cause
pain. PCOS sometimes involves actual cysts and sometimes is
purely hormonal. Whether or not cysts are present PCOS patients
suffer a wide range of health problems, from mood disorders to
diabetes and weight gain. PCOS can be difficult to diagnose, so
if you suspect that you may be suffering from it, it helps to
go into your doctor with a diary of all of your symptoms.
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