What are the physiological functions of the ovaries?

Women may suffer from various ovarian diseases, the most common of which is ovarian cysts. Some women may also suffer from premature ovarian failure. In addition, there are also ovarian malignant tumors, ovarian cysts, etc. These diseases are very harmful. Severe cases can cause infertility in women, and even require direct ovarian removal, which will lead to direct loss of the physiological functions of the ovaries. So what are the physiological functions of the ovaries?

Physiological functions of the ovary:

1. The main role of estrogen in girls

(1) Promote the development of female reproductive organs. Promotes breast development and pubic hair growth.

(2) Estrogen can promote fat metabolism, lower the total cholesterol level in the blood, and prevent arteriosclerosis.

(3) Promoting calcium deposition in bones can prevent osteoporosis in women due to decreased estrogen.

2. The main physiological effects of progesterone

A lack of progesterone can cause infertility or miscarriage. Changes in basal body temperature can serve as an important indicator of whether women of childbearing age have ovulated or not, that is, the basal body temperature is low before ovulation, and rises after ovulation and continues until before menstruation.

3. The main role of androgens in the female body

Low levels of androgens also exist in women, with normal values ​​being less than 100 nanograms per deciliter. The lack of androgen can cause sparse pubic hair in women. It can also increase sexual desire and is involved in the regulation of follicle growth and egg maturation.

In some cases, increased androgen levels in women are pathological. If an adolescent girl is over 18 years old and has not yet had her first period, and has masculinization symptoms such as a hoarse voice, thick body hair, and an enlarged clitoris, she should undergo a gynecological examination and a chromosome examination in a timely manner to ensure early diagnosis of congenital malformations of the reproductive organs and male pseudohermaphroditism. Young women and some children should also consider the possibility of ovarian masculinizing tumors. Such as male gynecoma and hermaphroditoma. Patients may experience virilization and amenorrhea. Menstruation can be resumed about one month after tumor resection, and hirsutism will subside to a certain extent. However, the enlarged clitoris is not easy to restore, and the masculine voice tone is not easy to change.

4. How do you know whether your ovaries are functioning normally?

(1) Detailed medical history and physical examination: The consultation should include information about the woman’s growth and development, menstrual cycle, and marital and childbearing status. This is followed by a detailed systemic and gynecological examination, which allows an estimate of whether the ovaries are functioning normally. During the examination, special attention should be paid to height, weight, lactation, body hair distribution, development of secondary sexual characteristics and the presence of deformities, because these factors can indirectly reflect whether the ovarian function is normal.

(2) Determination of basal body temperature

(3) Vaginal exfoliated cell examination

(4) Cervical mucus examination

(5) Endometrial tissue examination: This method involves entering the uterine cavity within 12 hours of the onset of menstruation to scrape the endometrium for pathological examination to check whether ovulation has occurred. It won't be too painful. However, before the examination, the person being examined must be checked for vaginitis or pelvic inflammatory disease.