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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.