Ovarian cysts are sacs filled with fluid located on or inside the ovary, and although some cysts are harmless and unnoticeable, others can trigger pain during sexual intercourse or while exercising. Ovarian cysts are quite common and most of them...
In Dr. Susan Lark's book, "The Menopause Self Help Book," she states that 30 to 50 percent of women experience menstrual cramps, with the highest incidence occurring in younger women. When women begin experiencing lower abdominal pain outside of...
Among the many changes that occur as pregnancy develops, your body begins producing extra hormones. Progesterone is one of the hormones that increase during pregnancy, and low levels can signal a problem. If your doctor decides to test your...
The almond-shaped ovaries stand guard on either side of the uterus, releasing eggs and hormones when needed. Occasionally, women develop a cyst or fluid-filled sac on one of their ovaries. Many ovarian cysts cause no problems and go away on their...
Biking provides excellent exercise, but it's not always advisable if you have a very large, symptomatic ovarian cyst. In most cases, though, an ovarian cyst shouldn't keep you from exercise like biking. Ovarian cysts are common in women of...
Progesterone is a natural female hormone that is first produced by the corpus luteum, the cyst that is formed after the release of an egg during ovulation. If the egg is fertilized and a pregnancy occurs, progesterone production is taken over by...
Abdominal pain during the first trimester of pregnancy can be alarming, but there are many perfectly normal explanations. There are also more serious causes of abdominal pain in early pregnancy that may include symptoms other than pain. A pregnant...
Chemicals in the body called hormones, play vital roles in causing a pregnancy to occur, supporting the developing fetus during the pregnancy as well as helping the birth to occur and breast milk to be formed. As explained by the University of...
Every woman hopes for a healthy pregnancy that will result in labor and a birth free of medical problems. While there are a variety of things you can do to help promote your health as well as the health of your fetus, things can still go wrong,...
Certain reproductive conditions and disorders such as ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, cervical cancer or STDs can cause abdominal pain accompanied with spotting. Some of these conditions are benign and may go away without treatment and others...
Pelvic pain is pain that occurs in the regions below the belly button and between the hips. This pain can be sharp, dull, mild or severe. In fact, it can be acute and resolve on its own or can be chronic and last for more than six months. Specific...
Positive pregnancy tests don't always indicate that conception has occurred. In some instances, false positives occur completely unrelated to pregnancy. Several medical conditions can cause the production of human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG,...
Skipping a period is a common occurrence for many women. When accompanied by abdominal cramping and the knowledge that she's not pregnant, a woman may become concerned. More often than not, abdominal cramping and an absent period are simply two...
Some women experience abdominal pain beginning days or even weeks before their periods start. Although the pain can be a normal part of some women's menstrual cycles, it can also indicate problems with hormones or the reproductive system.
Abnormal bleeding between periods can occur at any point in a woman's reproductive years. This bleeding can be caused by abnormalities in the uterus, ovaries, vagina and brain. Many of these abnormalities are caused by hormonal imbalances or may...
Ovarian cysts commonly affect women during their reproductive years. While some ovarian cysts go unnoticed, others may cause a range of symptoms, including mild discomfort to severe pain. In some instances, increasing your level of activity or...
Pregnancy can be physically uncomfortable. From early nausea to later back pain, many women are mildly uncomfortable throughout their nine months of pregnancy. Some forms of discomfort, however, are a little more worrisome to women because they're...
Women of all ages are prone to developing ovarian cysts. They are very common; and most disappear on their own, causing no problems. It is thought that ovarian cysts are the result of hormonal imbalances, especially in woman who take fertility...
Ovarian pain during pregnancy can be a bit confusing for many women. While some women experience ovarian pain each month during ovulation, most women know that ovulation ceases during pregnancy. Regardless, there are several reasons that women...
While many of the body’s hormones are shared by men and women, there are some that predominate in females. These are responsible for the unique characteristics and qualities of women, including menstruation, breast function and pregnancy....
During pregnancy, a woman's body changes dramatically. While changes are system-wide and affect blood volume, hormone levels and many body organs, perhaps no single area of the body is so affected as the abdomen. Early on, stretching of the uterus...
Progesterone is a hormone secreted by the ovaries in the second two weeks of the menstrual cycle, also called the luteal phase. Progesterone is also ingested in birth-control pills abd menopausal hormone-replacement therapy, and sometimes is used...
Hormones are chemicals made primarily by endocrine glands and released into the bloodstream to affect bodily functions. In women, the ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone. Both are necessary for normal sexual development and fertility. Both...
Ovarian cysts can have a range of causes; some cysts are part of normal menstruation functioning, though others maybe related to ovarian cancer. Learn more about ovarian cysts in this obstetrics video.
