Normal Size of Ovaries

Women undergo their menstruation cycle once they cross the foothold of puberty. The menstruation cycle occurs every month, where the ovary releases the eggs that travel through the fallopian tube, waiting for fertilization by a sperm. When this does not happen, the egg is shed along with the endometrial lining every month. Thus, resulting in the monthly bleeding cycle or periods. The ovaries contain endless supply of eggs that run out after menopause. The ovaries are therefore the most important part of the reproductive system. Without the fertilization of ovaries, conceiving a baby would not have been possible. This is the reason many women worry about the normal size of ovaries as they believe it has a role in infertility. However, ovary size not always is a cause of concern for infertility problems. Let us have a look at what is the normal size of ovaries, a question that is not frequently asked by many.

Ovaries Location

Before we go into the details of normal size of ovaries, let us know the ovaries location. The ovaries are located on either side of the uterus. They are located in the ovarian fossa region in the lateral wall of the pelvis. This ovarian fossa region is present below the external iliac artery and opposite the ureter and the internal iliac artery. Ovarian ligaments help connect the ovaries to the outer layer of the uterus.

Function of Ovaries

The function of ovaries is to release an egg every menstrual cycle and produce two important hormones. These storehouses of eggs contain 200,000 eggs since the time of the birth of a female child. With maturity, the eggs mature and are released by the ovaries for fertilization. The eggs reach the fallopian tube to get fertilized by the sperm. If fertilization does not occur, it is discharged in the form of blood through the vagina, forming the menstrual cycle. These hormones include progesterone and estrogen. The estrogen hormone is very important in developing the female sexual characteristics, maturation of the reproductive organs such as breasts. Progesterone helps in preparing the uterus for pregnancy and maintaining the endometrium in a healthy state. The two ovaries take chances to release an egg every month. In case, one of the ovaries stop functioning or is removed, the other one will continue to supply egg for every menstruation cycle.

What is the Normal Size of Ovaries

The average size of ovaries is about the size of a Greek olive. One can determine the normal size of an ovary on ultrasound. Let us have a look at the ovary size according to different measurement scales.

Normal Size of Ovaries in cm
The normal size of ovaries in cm is about 3 cm x 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm.

Normal Size of Ovaries in mm
The normal size of ovaries in mm is about 30 mm x 15 mm x 15 mm.

Normal Size of Ovaries in cc
The normal size of ovaries in cc is about 4.5 cubic centimeters.

Conditions Affecting Normal Size of Ovaries

There are many ovarian diseases like ovarian cancers and ovarian cysts that may cause the ovary size to increase. An ovarian cyst can cause the ovary size to increase up to 6 inches in diameter. The ovary size may increase if the women suffers from corpus luteum cyst, follicular cyst, hemorrhagic cyst or dermoid cysts. Increase in ovary size due to polycystic ovarian syndrome, multiple polyps, etc. may lead to pregnancy complications and miscarriages. Therefore, it is very important to know and understand about:

• Ovarian Cysts and Pregnancy
• Ovarian Cysts and Fertility

This was all about the normal size of ovaries. Your ovaries look like small walnuts that are about an inch away from the uterus. Before ovulation, fluid collection occurs around the developing egg. This fluid is visible on the ovary surface. The egg along with fluid and hormone producing cells is called a follicle. The ovary surface burst opens during ovulation and the egg is carried away towards the follicle by the fluid. The ovary soon heals and a yellow color cell pocket appears called the corpus luteum. This corpus luteum produces progesterone that will disappear if no pregnancy occurs. Once the woman reaches menopause, the size of the ovaries decreases to the size of an almond.