Painful Ovulation
(Mittelschmerz)

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• What is Painful Ovulation (Mittelschmerz)?
• What Causes Painful Ovulation?
• What Are the Symptoms of Painful Ovulation?
• When Should I Call the Doctor about Painful Ovulation?
• How Is Painful Ovulation Diagnosed?
• Painful Ovulation Home Remedies
• What Are Medications for Painful Ovulation?
• What Is the Prognosis for Painful Ovulation?

• Mittelschmerz (pronounced MITT-ul-shmurz) is a German word that means middle pain.
• Mittelschmerz is also referred to as painful ovulation.
• This pain occurs during ovulation - the midpoint between menstrual periods, about 2 weeks before a period may begin.
• The discomfort can appear on either side of the lower abdomen depending on which ovary is producing the ovum (egg).
• Pain can be on one side of the abdomen one month and switch to the opposite side during the following cycle.
• About 20% of women experience this type of midcycle pain.
• Most of the time, it is a mild annoyance. In rare instances, it can be unbearable.

Just before the egg is released by the ovary, it stretches the membrane covering the ovary. This stretching results in pressure and pain. The fluid and blood released when the egg is released from the ovary may cause discomfort. Blood may be very irritating to the tissues lining the abdominal cavity and could be responsible for the mid-cycle pain. The amount of pain varies tremendously from person to person. Most women do not have any discomfort. Others feel a mild pressure or twinge lasting a few hours. For a rare few, the pain is intense and can last for days. In severe cases, the pain may be mistaken for that of appendicitis.

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