The birth of a new life is a special event for every woman. As soon as fertilization occurs and a fetal egg is introduced into the body , all organs and systems begin a global restructuring. Most of all, the genitals undergo changes, since the baby will grow and develop in them throughout the entire period of pregnancy. The structures that are directly involved in the process of preserving the child are the ovaries. They are affected by the condition of the woman in the first place. During pregnancy, the normal size of the ovaries changes, their hormonal activity, as well as the ability to produce female germ cells.
Ovarian function in women
The ovaries perform the most important function - they produce eggs. Each month, the woman’s body undergoes a series of cyclical changes, due to which fertilization becomes possible monthly.
Ovarian function:
- Egg production. This process occurs in the middle of each menstrual cycle. The output of a female cell ready for fertilization normally occurs on day 14 from its onset. At this time, the normal size of the ovaries in women slightly changes. It is possible to fertilize an ovule that has been released only during ovulation, therefore special calculation methods have been developed.
- Hormonal function. During the cycle, the main female hormones are produced - estrogen and progesterone. In the first half, the production of estrogen necessary for egg maturation occurs, in the second - progesterone, which helps to maintain pregnancy during fertilization.
The structure and normal sizes of the uterus and ovaries before childbirth
The uterus and ovaries are located within the pelvis. In addition to these organs, there are the rectum, bladder, fallopian tubes, as well as the upper part of the vagina. The uterus occupies a middle position between the intestine and the bladder, normally its dimensions are: length - 8 cm, width - 4 cm, weight - 50-70 cm. The ovaries are located on the sides of the uterus, behind the fallopian tubes. On palpation of the appendages, they are felt in the projection of the right and left iliac regions. Normally, they are not palpable (with the exception of ladies of asthenic physique). Normal sizes of the ovaries of a nulliparous woman: length - 4.5 cm, width - 2.5 cm, thickness - 2 cm.
Changes in the uterus and ovaries during pregnancy
During gestation, the female genital organs undergo the greatest changes. The uterus during pregnancy increases to 36-40 cm in length and becomes 20 times larger by weight (about 1 kg). Her muscle fibers are stretched, and she reaches the peak of her "capabilities".
The normal size of the ovaries during pregnancy exceeds their initial size by several millimeters, since during this period the blood flow to the pelvic organs is increased, due to which their slight hyperplasia occurs. The function of producing estrogens, as well as eggs, is absent at this moment, and progesterone, the main hormone of procreation in the female body, comes first .
The postpartum period and changes associated with it
The postpartum period is 42 days, i.e. 6 weeks. It is believed that during this time the woman’s body should recover after pregnancy and childbirth and come back to its original state. After the birth of a new life, all organs and systems are restored, the woman in labor again acquires a slender silhouette and lightness. There is a restoration of the cardiovascular system (the placental circulation that binds the mother and the child disappears), the respiratory rate decreases, and normal urination is restored. The muscles of the anterior abdominal wall and pelvic floor gradually, over the course of 6-8 weeks, acquire the same tone.
Normal size of the ovaries and uterus after childbirth
The biggest changes occur in the uterus, since during pregnancy it reached a very large size. In the first week after birth, its size decreases by 2 times, then it decreases by a quarter and by the end of 6 weeks it becomes the same size. In the postpartum period, provided that the woman does not breastfeed, the ovaries return to their previous functions and sizes in a few weeks, that is, they begin to produce estrogens and prepare the body for new fertilization. If the mother feeds the baby with breast milk, then the "stop" of hormonal function lasts a few more months.
Ultrasound of the pelvic organs is normal
Ultrasound examination of women in the period before delivery is one of the main methods for the diagnosis of gynecological pathologies, such as inflammatory processes, hyperplastic tissue growths (polyps, cysts), as well as genital cancer. In addition, the echo picture of the uterus and ovaries allows us to judge the phase of the menstrual cycle under normal conditions (if the woman is healthy), which helps determine the appropriate time for planning pregnancy.
Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs in women determines their size, number of follicles, structure, thickness and density of the examined object. Ultrasound normal sizes of ovaries: length - 30 mm, width - 25 mm, thickness - 15 mm. There are small fluctuations in these values, which depend on the stage of the cycle and the age group of the patient. The maximum size of the ovaries falls in the middle of the menstrual cycle, that is, the days immediately before ovulation, since at this time the main follicle reached its greatest growth and is ready to exit. The normal size of the ovaries in women during menopause is slightly less than in the reproductive age, because its functions are discontinued, and egg maturation does not occur.
Genital ultrasound during pregnancy
The onset of pregnancy changes not only the functional activity of the ovaries, but also their echo picture. At the first visit to the women's consultation on the birth of a new life, each gynecologist advises the woman to undergo an ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs. Ultrasound in early pregnancy is carried out transvaginally. This study allows us to assess the period, location (normal pregnancy is uterine, that is, the fetal egg is attached to the uterus), the number of fetuses, as well as the presence or absence of possible complications.
The normal size of the woman’s ovaries "in position" is increased by several millimeters. In addition, there are changes in the follicular apparatus of the genital organs (growth of one follicle is not observed, they are all in the same "inactive" state). The ovarian wall is somewhat thickened due to abundant blood supply. The uterus undergoes significant changes that depend on the gestational age. With each week, it increases and stretches the muscle fibers, it reaches its maximum size before childbirth.
Ultrasound of the ovaries in the postpartum period
6-8 weeks after delivery, ultrasound shows the normal size of the ovaries, as they were before delivery. Immediately after the birth of the baby, their size remains somewhat larger, they begin to recover by the end of 3 weeks. If a woman is breastfeeding, then phase changes in the size of the ovaries at this point are not observed. At the beginning of the ovulatory cycle, the size of the ovaries begins to increase slightly due to the growth of the follicle.