What Causes Pain on the Right Side of a Woman’s Lower Abdomen?

Abdominal pain in women reflects abnormalities in numerous internal organs and requires prompt evaluation to prevent delays in diagnosis and treatment. So, what are the possible causes of right lower abdominal pain in women?

Causes of Right Lower Abdominal Pain in Women

1. Inflammatory Abdominal Pain

This includes acute endometritis, acute salpingo-oophoritis, pelvic peritonitis, and acute pelvic cellulitis. It may also arise from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as gonorrhea—caused by *Neisseria gonorrhoeae*—or chlamydial infection (*Chlamydia trachomatis*). These STIs often recur and, in severe cases, may lead to pyosalpinx (pus-filled fallopian tubes).

2. Gynecological Conditions

When women experience right lower abdominal pain, gynecological causes must be considered—including ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or pelvic tumors. Less common conditions—such as rupture of a right-sided corpus luteum or ovarian follicle—can also cause right lower abdominal pain. Patients presenting with right lower abdominal pain should typically undergo surgical consultation to rule out appendicitis, which can closely mimic gynecological disorders; however, each condition usually exhibits distinguishing clinical features.

3. Non-inflammatory Abdominal Pain

Common non-inflammatory causes include ectopic pregnancy, ovarian cyst torsion, and ovarian cyst rupture.

4. Other Causes

Acute lower abdominal pain may occur following complications of induced abortion or intrauterine device (IUD) insertion—specifically, uterine perforation.

The above outlines potential causes of right lower abdominal pain in women. The female abdomen houses nearly all internal organs governing the reproductive system; thus, dysfunction in any of these structures may disrupt normal reproductive physiology. We hope this information is helpful to you.