Mittelschmerz: What in the World Is This Mid-Cycle Pain?

Do you ever feel a sudden twinge or ache on one side of your lower abdomen right in the middle of your cycle? You’re not alone. Many women experience this mid-cycle discomfort — a normal, harmless phenomenon called mittelschmerz, or ovulation pain. Some women feel it every month, others only occasionally, and some never feel it at all.