What are the ovaries and what do they do?

The ovaries are paired female gonads that produce oocytes (eggs) and female sex hormones, primarily estrogen and progesterone. They are almond-shaped and homologous to the testes in males.

Where are the ovaries located in the female pelvis?

In nulliparous women, each ovary lies in the ovarian fossa on the lateral pelvic wall below the pelvic brim. It is related anteriorly to external iliac vessels, posteriorly to the ureter and internal iliac vessels, and its floor is crossed by the obturator nerve and vessels.

What are the main blood vessels that supply the ovaries?

The ovaries receive arterial blood from the ovarian artery (branching from the abdominal aorta at L1) and a branch from the uterine artery. Venous drainage occurs via the pampiniform plexus into the ovarian veins, with the right draining to the IVC and the left to the left renal vein.

What are the key functions of the ovaries?

The ovaries have two primary functions: production of oocytes, releasing one ovum per menstrual cycle from a Graafian follicle and forming a corpus luteum after ovulation, and hormone production, secreting estrogen from follicular cells and progesterone from luteal cells.

What are some common clinical conditions associated with the ovaries?

Common clinical conditions include ovarian torsion (caused by a long mesovarium or suspensory ligament), ovarian cysts (small cysts from arrested follicles or the corpus luteum), ovarian carcinoma (about 15% of all cancers and 20% of gynecologic cancers), and teratoma (a tumor from pluripotent cells that may contain multiple tissue types).

How are the ovaries attached within the pelvis?

The ovaries are attached by the mesovarium (a short peritoneal fold connecting to the broad ligament at the hilum), the suspensory ligament (attaching the superior pole), and the ligament of ovary (connecting the inferior pole to the uterus).

What is the structure of the ovary?

The ovary is covered by a cuboidal germinal epithelium (not peritoneum) and has two main layers: the cortex (containing follicles in various stages, surrounded by the tunica albuginea) and the medulla (composed of loose connective tissue with blood vessels and lymphatics).

How do the ovaries develop embryologically?

The ovaries develop from the genital ridge on the posterior abdominal wall, formed from coelomic epithelium and mesenchyme. Descent into the pelvis is guided by the gubernaculum, which later forms the ligament of ovary (ovary to uterus) and round ligament (uterus to labium majus).

Ovary Anatomy – Location, Blood Supply & Function

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