Its function is to produce female hormones and to store egg cells that, if fertilized by sperm, can develop into a baby.
Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus.
Risk of ovarian cancer Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. The number of new ovarian cancer cases is decreasing slightly each year. In addition, fewer deaths are resulting from ovarian cancer. Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Number of Children - Women who have never been pregnant are more likely to develop ovarian cancer than are women who have had children.