Ovary, disorders of

Diseases and abnormalities of the ovaries can occur for various reasons. Absence of ovaries, or their failure to develop normally, is rare and is usually due to a chromosomal abnormality (see Turner’s syndrome). Oophoritis (inflammation of an ovary) may result from infections such as gonorrhoea or pelvic inflammatory disease. Ovarian cysts are common and usually noncancerous. Polycystic ovary syndrome is due to an imbalance of sex hormones. Ovarian cancer (see ovary, cancer of) occurs mainly in women over 50. Ovarian failure causes premature menopause in about 5 per cent of women.