The
ovaries develop from the same fetal tissue that forms
the lining of the abdominal cavity. The size of the
ovaries varies through the life cycle. Normally, as a
woman develops from birth through puberty, the ovaries
grow larger. The average size reaches a plateau at
adulthood and then decreases in the postmenopausal
period. The size
of the ovaries after menopause depends on the number
of years after menopause and the number of prior
pregnancies. Ovaries also vary in size during the course
of the menstrual cycle.
The
ovaries are pinkish gray in color, almond-shaped, and
are present on either side of the uterus in a region
called the ovarian fossa. Each ovary is close to the
open, fringed end of the fallopian tube leading to the
uterus. The ovaries change in size, shape and position
many times during a woman’s childbearing years. The size of the
ovary in the premenopausal woman is 3.5 cm long by
2.0 cm wide by 1.0 cm thick or about the size of a
walnut. There are, of course, considerable individual
variations, and normal ovaries up to 5 cm are not
uncommon. This is the size of a golf ball. Postmenopausal
women and prepubescent girls usually have "tiny"
ovaries. A number of normal older women have ovaries no
bigger than a dime. At birth, each ovary contains about
200,000 eggs each enclosed in a single layer of cells.
Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have
unlike the testes where there is continuous production
of sperm after puberty. The ovaries produce hormones
needed for growth and development and the eggs needed
for reproduction. The ovaries respond to hormones from
the brain called the gonadotropins in addition to
producing their own hormones – estrogen,
progesterone.
After the
onset of menstruation the ovaries begin to go through a
series of events that leads to a change in their
appearance. Gradually, the surface of the ovary becomes
pitted and irregular, evidence of many ovulations and
subsequent healings. After the menopause, the monthly
formation of follicles and ovulation ceases. The ovaries
then decrease in size to that of an almond and become a
pale white.
There are
a number of gynecologic conditions that can affect the
size of the
ovaries. These include cysts, cancer, scar tissue
etc. Pain
might originate from the uterus (womb), Fallopian tubes
or ovaries. It is usually felt in the middle of the
lower abdomen, above the line of pubic hair as far up as
the navel. Occasionally, the pain is more to one side,
which is more typical of a pain coming from an
ovary.
Ovaries need to be maintained in good condition especially during the childbearing age. A holistic medicine practitioner will guide you in this aspect. Holistic medicine will also promote good health which will be beneficial to the baby too.
