Ovulation pain

What is it?

Some women get a one-sided pain in their lower abdomen when they ovulate. It happens about 14 days before their period, when an ovary releases an egg.

The cause is unknown but one theory is that the pain is the egg breaking through the ovary wall, which releases a small amount of fluid (or sometimes blood) that irritates nearby nerves.

What are the symptoms?

The pain can be a dull cramp or a sharp and sudden twinge. It’s on either side of your abdomen depending on which ovary is releasing the egg. It can last from a few minutes to a day or two.

When to see your doctor?

If the pain is severe or you’re worried, see your GP. It’s a good idea to keep a diary before your visit about when the pain comes on and how long it lasts.

What’s the treatment?

Soaking in a hot bath or taking an over-the-counter painkiller, such as paracetamol, usually helps. NSAIDs like ibuprofen may also help, but you shouldn’t take them if you’re trying to get pregnant as they can interfere with ovulation.

Birth control methods that stop ovulation, such as the combined contraceptive pill or contraceptive implant, can stop ovulation pain.

Is ovulation pain anything to worry about?

Painful ovulation can be a symptom of a medical condition such as endometriosis – an inflammatory disease that affects the ovaries and Fallopian tubes that can also cause pain during ovulation due to scar tissue.

If you’ve had surgery, scar tissue can cause ovulation pain by restricting the ovaries and surrounding structures.

And STIs such as chlamydia can cause inflammation and scarring around the Fallopian tubes, leading to ovulation pain.