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Alternative names Return to top
Ovulation pain; Midcycle painDefinition Return to top
Mittelschmerz is one-sided lower abdominal pain that occurs in women at or around the time of ovulation.Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
About 20% of women experience mittelschmerz, or pain associated with ovulation. The pain may occur just before, during, or after ovulation.
There are several explanations for the cause of this pain. Just prior to ovulation, follicle growth may stretch the surface of the ovary, causing pain. At the time of ovulation, fluid or blood is released from the ruptured egg follicle and may cause irritation of the abdominal lining. Mittelschmerz may be felt on one side one month, then switch to the opposite side the next month, or it may be felt on the same side for several months in succession.
The pain is not harmful and does not signify the presence of disease. In fact, women who feel this pain may be at an advantage when planning or trying to avoid pregnancy. A woman is most likely to become pregnant either just before, on the day of, or several days after ovulation, although birth control methods that rely solely on predicting ovulation are far from completely reliable.
Symptoms Return to top
Lower abdominal pain that is:
Signs and tests Return to top
A pelvic examination shows no abnormalities. Other diagnostic procedures (such as an abdominal ultrasound) may be performed to rule out other causes of ovarian pain if ovulatory pain is prolonged.
Treatment Return to top
No treatment is usually necessary. Pain relievers (analgesics) may be needed in cases of prolonged or intense pain.
Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
The outcome is expected to be excellent.
Complications Return to top
There are usually no complications.
Calling your health care provider Return to top
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if midcycle ovulation pain seems to change or become unusually prolonged.
Prevention Return to top
Hormonal forms of contraception can be taken to prevent ovulation -- and therefore ovulatory pain -- but otherwise there is no known prevention.
Update Date: 1/13/2003 Updated by: Daniel Rein, M.D., Obstetrician and Gynecologist, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |