What are the ovaries?
Written by Dr. Specialist Stine Andreassen
Specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics, PhD in Obstetrics in 2015 and more than 15 years of clinical practice in Obstetrics and Gynecology
The ovaries are two small reproductive organs located on either side of the uterus. Their main functions are to produce eggs and release hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.
What do the ovaries do?
Egg production
Females are born with all the eggs they will ever have. Throughout the reproductive years, eggs mature within the ovaries.
Ovulation
Ovulation occurs when an ovary releases a mature egg. This usually happens once during each menstrual cycle. The egg travels into a fallopian tube, where it may be fertilized by sperm. Ovulation is necessary for natural conception and is a key part of the menstrual cycle.
Hormone production
The ovaries produce
Estrogen
Progesterone
These hormones regulate
Menstruation
Fertility
Bone health
Pregnancy
What happens to the ovaries during menopause?
As menopause approaches, ovarian hormone production gradually declines. Ovulation eventually stops and menstrual periods cease permanently.
Related resources
What is fertility?
What is ovulation?
Learn more about menstruation
Learn more about menopause
FAQ – The ovaries
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The ovaries produce eggs and reproductive hormones.
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Most women have two ovaries.
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Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from an ovary. The egg travels into a fallopian tube, where it may be fertilized by sperm. Ovulation is necessary for natural conception and is a key part of the menstrual cycle.