What is Mittelschmerz?
Mittelschmerz is the medical term for painful ovulation or midcycle pain.1 The term Mittelschmerz comes from the German words for “middle” and “pain.” In the middle of the menstrual cycle, the ovaries produce an egg, or ova, which causes some females discomfort. Approximately 20% of women have experienced at one time or another painful symptoms during the time of ovulation.2 Although it may be painful, it is not a serious medical condition and does not indicate an underlying medical problem.