The ovaries are small, paired reproductive glands that produce eggs and the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Since they are located deep within the body cavity, their exact location can be confusing. Using the belly button, or navel, as a familiar external landmark helps clarify the ovaries’ true position, which is much lower and further to the sides than many assume.
Pinpointing the Location Relative to the Navel
The ovaries are situated significantly below and to the sides of the navel, avoiding the central or upper abdominal region. To visualize their approximate placement, imagine a point roughly three to four inches downward and outward from your belly button, corresponding to the lower lateral corners of the abdomen.
A more precise external reference involves the bony protrusions of the pelvis, specifically the anterior superior iliac spine (the prominent bone at the front of your hip). The ovaries lie deep within the body, roughly halfway between the navel and this hip bone, but lower down in the cavity. They are deeply recessed within the protected confines of the pelvic structure. Pain felt directly at or above the navel is unlikely to originate from the ovaries themselves.
Understanding the Ovaries’ Placement Within the Pelvis
Moving beyond external markers, the ovaries reside in the true pelvis, the lower portion of the bony basin that supports the abdominal organs. They are small, ovoid structures, similar in size and shape to an almond, typically measuring about 3.5 centimeters long and 2 centimeters wide. The ovaries are nestled on either side of the uterus, which is located between the bladder and the rectum.
Their position within the pelvis is maintained by several anatomical connections. The utero-ovarian ligament connects the ovary to the side of the uterus. The suspensory ligament extends from the upper pole of the ovary to the pelvic sidewall, carrying the main blood vessels and nerves that supply the organ. This network of ligaments ensures the ovaries are held loosely in shallow depressions on the lateral walls of the pelvic cavity, known as the ovarian fossae. This low, protected position means ovarian issues rarely cause pain near the navel, but rather in the low abdomen or groin area.
Factors That Can Shift Ovarian Position
While the ligaments anchor the ovaries, they are not rigidly fixed and can exhibit a degree of mobility within the pelvic space. This slight movement is normal, allowing the organs to adjust to changing conditions of surrounding structures. Factors like a full bladder or a distended bowel can temporarily push the ovaries into a slightly different location.
Pregnancy causes a significant shift as the uterus expands upward, displacing the ovaries higher into the abdominal cavity. The presence of ovarian cysts or tumors can also change the organ’s placement, with larger masses physically pushing the ovary from its typical position. Prior pelvic surgeries or conditions like endometriosis can lead to scar tissue that may pull or fix the ovaries in an unusual spot, demonstrating that their precise location is dynamic and varies throughout a person’s life.