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Ovarian Veins in Women

The Ovaries are the Female gonad - this means that they are the equivalent to the Male Testicle.

Not surprising same place in the foetus - up by the kidney. As the baby girl develops, the ovaries move down into the pelvis - taking their veins - the ovarian veins - with them (see animation on right).

This is IDENTICAL to the male - with the sole exception that the ovaries stay inside the pelvis and do not continue to the outside as the testicles do.

Not surprisingly, the ovarian veins can go wrong just as the testicular veins can.

As explained in the last page, if the valves give up in the testicular vein, the back flow (reflux) causes a varicocele around the testicle.

In exactly the same way, if the valves in the ovarian vein give up working, a "varicocele" is formed around the ovary.

Again, not surprisingly the swollen veins in the pelvis can cause aching and a "dragging" feeling, especially during a period - just as a variocele around a testicle can cause symptoms.

However, there are 2 main differences in women:

Firstly, the veins can spread further in the pelvis, pushing on the bladder and bowel and irritating them.

Secondly, as they are on the inside and therefore invisible to doctors, they are usually ignored by doctors and patients alike - the symptoms put down to "women's problems".