Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Although experts haven't determined its exact cause, mittelschmerz is tied to the process of ovulation. Luckily, if you experience mittelschmerz, there are a couple of ways you can relieve the pain. One last thing: Sudden and extreme pelvic pain can be a sign of many different things.
Korin is a former New Yorker who now lives at the beach. She received a double B. Korin has been published in Read more. Topics periods contraception birth control pain management.
Login ». As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.
Recent Blog Articles. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Important Phone Numbers. Topic Contents What is mittelschmerz? What happens when you have mittelschmerz?
What are the symptoms? How is mittelschmerz treated? When should you call for help? Where can you learn more? Top of the page. What is mittelschmerz? Two things happen naturally at this time that may cause the pain: The small sac follicle on the ovary where the egg matures grows rapidly and stretches the surface of your ovary.
When the follicle squeezes the egg out, the blood or fluid in the follicle may irritate the tissues around it. If you have severe pain, see your doctor. Ovulation is the release of an egg from one of the ovaries. It often happens about midway through the menstrual cycle, although the exact timing may vary. In preparation for ovulation, the lining of the uterus, or endometrium, thickens.
The pituitary gland in the brain stimulates one of the ovaries to release an egg. The wall of the ovarian follicle ruptures at the surface of the ovary. The egg is released. Finger-like structures called fimbriae sweep the egg into the neighboring fallopian tube.
The egg travels through the fallopian tube, propelled in part by contractions in the fallopian tube walls. Here in the fallopian tube, the egg may be fertilized by a sperm. If the egg is fertilized, the egg and sperm unite to form a one-celled entity called a zygote.
As the zygote travels down the fallopian tube toward the uterus, it begins dividing rapidly to form a cluster of cells called a blastocyst, which resembles a tiny raspberry. When the blastocyst reaches the uterus, it implants in the lining of the uterus and pregnancy begins. If the egg isn't fertilized, it's simply reabsorbed by the body — perhaps before it even reaches the uterus.
0コメント