WHAT IS AN OVARY?

The ovaries are the female gonads, or sex cell-producing organs, which produce eggs, or ova. In men, the testicles are the gonads, and they produce sperm. Generally, the female body will have two ovaries, though the female body can survive with one or no ovaries.

The ovaries are roughly four cubic centimeters in size, which is about the size of a walnut. They are located at the ends of the uterine tubes, which are connection tubes that attach to the uterus. In the female body, the ovaries, and other reproductive organs, are located in the abdominopelvic cavity.

 

FUNCTIONS OF THE OVARIES

Though the ovaries are fairly small, they are very important in the overall reproductive functions of the female body. Many of the functions are either directly controlled or indirectly influenced by the ovaries. Let’s look at a few of these functions.

First, there is oogenesis, which is the process by which the female body produces eggs. This process occurs prior to birth, and each female child is born with all of the eggs that she will need for her lifetime. Oogenesis is a form of meiosis, or sex cell reproduction. Each egg will have 23 chromosomes, which is one-half of the total number needed for humans to develop properly. Likewise, sperm cells have 23 chromosomes, and when an egg and sperm unite, the full chromosome number is restored.

 

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF GETTING PREGNANT WITH ONE OVARY

In the majority of cases, getting pregnant with one ovary is as easy as it is to get pregnant with two ovaries. Some women are born with just one ovary, while others need to have one removed for medical reasons. Regardless of the cause, having just one ovary shouldn’t have much of an effect on fertility, and patients who do need fertility treatments should respond just as well as patients with two ovaries.

REASONS FOR OVARIAN REMOVAL

One of the ovaries might be removed for a number of reasons. Two of the most common causes are the presence of an ovarian cyst, and endometriosis. Many women have ovarian cysts with no symptoms, but women with large cysts or with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may experience pan and other symptoms. Similarly, if endometriosis reaches the ovaries, pain can result, making it necessary to remove the affected ovary.

EFFECTS ON FERTILITY

When two ovaries are present, the ovaries alternate releasing an egg each month, in no particular order. The egg released by the ovary travels through the fallopian tube, where it can be fertilized if sperm is present. From there, it travels to the uterus, where it implants, beginning the pregnancy.

Getting pregnant with one ovary is normally as easy as getting pregnant with two ovaries, because the single ovary ends up simply performing all of the tasks that two ovaries would normally perform, including releasing an egg every month.

On the other hand, if your ovary was removed due to a medical condition like PCOS or endometriosis, you may have a lower fertility level than the average person due to the underlying medical condition. While it’s not impossible to get pregnant with a reproductive issue, it can be harder.

 

 

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