There are three grades of inverted nipples, defined on how easily the nipple may be protracted and the degree of fibrosis existent in the breast as well as the damage it has caused on the milk ducts.

Inverted nipple Grade 1 refers to nipples that can easily be pulled out, by using finger pressure around the areola. The Grade 1 inverted nipple maintains its projections and rarely retracts. Also, Grade 1 inverted nipples may occasionally pop up without manipulation or pressure. Milk ducts are usually not compromised and breast feeding is possible. These are "shy nipples". It is believed to have minimal or no fibrosis. There is no soft-tissue deficiency of the nipple. The lactiferous duct should be normal without any retraction.

Inverted nipple Grade 2 is the nipple which can be pulled out, though not as easily as the Grade 1 inverted nipple but which retracts after pressure is released. Breast feeding is usually possible even though it is more likely to be either hard to get the baby to latch comfortably in the first weeks after birth; extra help may be needed. Grade 2 nipples have a moderate degree of fibrosis. The lactiferous ducts are mildly retracted but do not need to be cut for the release of fibrosis. On histological examination, these nipples have rich collagenous stromata with numerous bundles of smooth muscle. Most people with this problem suffer from inverted nipples Grade 2.

Inverted nipple Grade 3 describes a severely inverted and retracted nipple which can rarely be pulled out physically and which requires surgery in order to be protracted. Milk ducts are often constricted and breast feeding is difficult but not necessarily impossible. With good preparation and help often babies can drink at the breast and milk production is not affected; after breastfeeding often nipples are less or no longer inverted. People with Grade 3 inverted nipples may also struggle with infections, rashes, or problems with nipple hygiene. The fibrosis is remarkable and lactiferous ducts are short and severely retracted. The bulk of soft tissue is markedly insufficient in the nipple. Histologically, there are atrophic terminal duct lobular units and severe fibrosis.

An inverted nipple (occasionally invaginated nipple) is a condition where the nipple, instead of pointing outward, is retracted into the breast. In some cases, the nipple will be temporarily protruded if stimulated. Women and men can have inverted nipples.

Cracked nipples are classified as a breast disorder. The nipple is not only the structure to delivery milk to the infant, it also contains small, sebaceous glands or Montgomery glands to lubricate the skin of the areola. Cracked nipples are most often associated with breastfeeding and appear as cracks or small lacerations or breaks in the skin of the nipple. In some instances an ulcer will form. The nipple in a nursing mother is in regular contact with a nursing infant. Cracked nipples are trauma to the nipple and can be quite painful. Cracked nipples typically appear three to seven days after the birth.

If the nipples appears to be wedge-shaped, white and flattened, this may indicate that the latch is not good and there is a potential of developing cracked nipples.

Nipple discharge refers to any fluid that seeps out of the nipple of the breast. Discharge from the nipple does not occur in lactating women. And discharge in non-pregnant women or women who are not breasfeeding may not cause concern. Men that have discharge from their nipples are not typical. Discharge from the nipples of men or boys may indicate a problem. Discharge from the nipples can appear without squeezing or may only be noticeable if the nipples are squeezed. One nipple can have discharge while the other does not. The discharge can be clear, green, bloody, brown or straw-colored. The consistenct can be thick, thin, sticky or watery.

Some cases of nipple discharge will clear on their own without treatment. Nipple discharge is most often not cancer (benign), but rarely, it can be a sign of breast cancer. It is important to find out what is causing it and to get treatment. Here are some reasons for nipple discharge:

- Pregnancy

- Recent breastfeeding

- Rubbing on the area from a bra or t-shirt

- Trauma

- Infection

- Inflammation and clogging of the breast ducts

- Noncancerous pituitary tumors

- Small growth in the breast that is usually not cancer

- Severe underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)

- Fibrocystic breast (normal lumpiness in the breast)

- Use of certain medicines

- Use of certain herbs, such as anise and fennel

- Widening of the milk ducts

- Intraductal pipilloma

- Subareolar abscess

- Mammary duct ectasia

- Pituitary tumor

Sometimes, babies can have nipple discharge. This is caused by hormones from the mother before birth. It usually goes away in 2 weeks. Cancers such as Paget disease (a rare type of cancer involving the skin of the nipple) can also cause nipple discharge.

Nipple discharge that is NOT normal is bloody, comes from only one nipple, or comes out on its own without squeezing or touching the nipple. Nipple discharge is more likely to be normal if it comes out of both nipples or happens when the nipple is squeezed. Squeezing the nipple to check for discharge can make it worse. Leaving the nipple alone may make the discharge stop.

Nipple discharge is the release of fluid from the nipples of the breasts. Abnormal nipple discharge may be described as any discharge not associated with lactation. The nature of the discharge may range in color, consistency and composition, and occur in one or both breasts. Although it is considered normal in a wide variety of circumstances it is the third major reason involving the breasts for which women seek medical attention, after breast lumps and breast pain. It is also known to occur in adolescent boys and girls going through puberty.

Cracked nipple (or "nipple trauma") is a condition that can occur in breastfeeding women as a result of a number of possible causes. Developing a cracked nipple can result in soreness, dryness or irritation to, or bleeding of, one or both nipples during breastfeeding. The mother with a cracked nipple can have severe nipple pain when the baby is nursing. This severe pain is a disincentive for continued breastfeeding. The crack can appear as a cut across the tip of the nipple and may extend to its the base. Cracked nipples develop after the birth of the infant and is managed with pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment.

Fissure of the nipple is a condition that can be caused by friction that can result in soreness, dryness or irritation to, or bleeding of, one or both nipples during breastfeeding. It can also be the result of the friction of clothing against the nipple during physical exercise. This condition is also experienced by women who breastfeed and by surfers who do not wear rash guards.

Signs and symptoms may initially include: an increased heart rate, feeling faint upon standing, and an increased breath rate. As more blood is lost the women may feel cold, their blood pressure may drop, and they may become unconscious.

Obstructed labour, also known as labour dystocia, is when, even though the uterus is contracting normally, the baby does not exit the pelvis during childbirth due to being physically blocked. Complications for the baby include not getting enough oxygen which may result in death. It increases the risk of the mother getting an infection, having uterine rupture, or having post-partum bleeding. Long term complications for the mother include obstetrical fistula. Obstructed labour is said to result in prolonged labour, when the active phase of labour is longer than twelve hours.

The main causes of obstructed labour include: a large or abnormally positioned baby, a small pelvis, and problems with the birth canal. Abnormal positioning includes shoulder dystocia where the anterior shoulder does not pass easily below the pubic bone. Risk factors for a small pelvis include malnutrition and a lack of exposure to sunlight causing vitamin D deficiency. It is also more common in adolescence as the pelvis may not have finished growing. Problems with the birth canal include a narrow vagina and perineum which may be due to female genital mutilation or tumors. A partograph is often used to track labour progression and diagnose problems. This combined with physical examination may identify obstructed labour.

The treatment of obstructed labour may require cesarean section or vacuum extraction with possible surgical opening of the symphysis pubis. Other measures include: keeping the women hydrated and antibiotics if the membranes have been ruptured for more than 18 hours. In Africa and Asia obstructed labor affects between two and five percent of deliveries. In 2015 about 6.5 million cases of obstructed labour or uterine rupture occurred. This resulted in 23,000 maternal deaths down from 29,000 deaths in 1990 (about 8% of all deaths related to pregnancy). It is also one of the leading causes of stillbirth. Most deaths due to this condition occur in the developing world.

Depending on the definition in question, postpartum hemorrhage is defined as more than 500ml following vaginal delivery or 1000ml of blood loss following caesarean section in the first 24 hours following delivery.

Uterine prolapse is a form of female genital prolapse. It is also called pelvic organ prolapse or prolapse of the uterus (womb).

Risk factors for uterine prolapse include pregnancy, childbirth, chronic increases in intra-abdominal pressure such as lifting, coughing or straining, connective tissue conditions, and damage to or weakness of the muscles.

Treatment may be conservative or surgical and should be based upon patient symptoms and preference.

The main causes of obstructed labour include: a large or abnormally positioned baby, a small pelvis, and problems with the birth canal. Abnormal positioning includes shoulder dystocia where the anterior shoulder does not pass easily below the pubic bone. Risk factors for a small pelvis include malnutrition and a lack of exposure to sunlight causing vitamin D deficiency. while problems with the birth canal include a narrow vagina and perineum which may be due to female genital mutilation or tumors.

There are often no symptoms associated with a urethrocele. When present, symptoms include stress incontinence, increased urinary frequency, and urinary retention (difficulty in emptying the bladder). Pain during sexual intercourse may also occur.

Where a urethrocele causes difficulty in urinating, this can lead to cystitis.

The uterus (womb) is normally held in place by a hammock of muscles and ligaments. Prolapse happens when the ligaments supporting the uterus become so weak that the uterus cannot stay in place and slips down from its normal position. These ligaments are the round ligament, uterosacral ligaments, broad ligament and the ovarian ligament. The uterosacral ligaments are by far the most important ligaments in preventing uterine prolapse.

The most common cause of uterine prolapse is trauma during childbirth, in particular multiple or difficult births. About 50% of women who have had children develop some form of pelvic organ prolapse in their lifetime. It is more common as women get older, particularly in those who have gone through menopause. This condition is surgically correctable.

A supernumerary nipple (also known as a third nipple, triple nipple, accessory nipple, polythelia or the related condition: polymastia) is an additional nipple occurring in mammals, including humans. Often mistaken for moles, supernumerary nipples are diagnosed in humans at a rate of approximately 1 in 18 people.

The nipples appear along the two vertical "milk lines," which start in the armpit on each side, run down through the typical nipples and end at the groin. They are classified into eight levels of completeness from a simple patch of hair to a milk-bearing breast in miniature.

"Polythelia" refers to the presence of an additional nipple alone while "polymastia" denotes the much rarer presence of additional mammary glands.

Although usually presenting on the milk line, pseudomamma can appear as far away as the foot.

A possible relationship with mitral valve prolapse has been proposed.

In some cases, the accessory breast may not be visible at the surface. In these cases, it may be possible to distinguish their appearance from normal breast tissue with MRI. In other cases, accessory breasts have been known to lactate, as illustrated in a woodcut showing a child nursing at ectopic breast tissue on the lateral thigh.

There is some evidence that the condition may be more common in Native American populations.

Plastic surgeons describe the degree of breast sagging using a "ptosis scale" like the modified "Regnault ptosis scale" below:

- "Grade I: Mild ptosis"—The nipple is at the level of the infra-mammary fold and above most of the lower breast tissue.

- "Grade II: Moderate ptosis"—The nipple is located below the infra-mammary fold but higher than most of the breast tissue hangs.

- "Grade III: Advanced ptosis"—The nipple is below the inframammary fold and at the level of maximum breast projection.

- "Pseudoptosis"—The nipple is located either at or above the infra-mammary fold, while the lower half of the breast sags below the fold. This is most often seen when a woman stops nursing, as her milk glands atrophy, causing her breast tissue to sag.

- "Parenchymal Maldistribution"—The lower breast tissue is lacking fullness, the inframammary fold is very high, and the nipple and areola are relatively close to the fold. This is usually a developmental deformity.

Hyperemesis gravidarum is the presence of severe and persistent vomiting, causing dehydration and weight loss. It is more severe than the more common morning sickness and is estimated to affect 0.5–2.0% of pregnant women.

Perineal tearing is the spontaneous (unintended) tearing of the skin and other soft tissue structures which, in women, separate the vagina from the anus. Perineal tearing occurs in 85% of vaginal deliveries. At 6 months postpartum, 21% of women still report perineal pain and 11-49% report sexual problems or painful intercourse.

Accessory breasts, also known as polymastia, supernumerary breasts, or mammae erraticae, is the condition of having an additional breast. Extra breasts may appear with or without nipples or areolae. It is a condition and a form of atavism which is most prevalent in male humans, and often goes untreated as it is mostly harmless. In recent years, many affected women have had a plastic surgery operation to remove the additional breasts, for purely aesthetic reasons.

A related condition, in which extra nipples form, is called "supernumerary nipple" or "polythelia".

Female breast ptosis or sagging is a natural consequence of aging. The rate at which a woman's breasts droop and the degree of ptosis depends on many factors. The key factors influencing breast ptosis over a woman's lifetime are cigarette smoking, her number of pregnancies, gravity, higher body mass index, larger bra cup size, and significant weight gain and loss. Post-menopausal women or people with collagen deficiencies (such as ehlers-danlos) may experience increased ptosis due to a loss of skin elasticity. Many women and medical professionals mistakenly believe that breastfeeding increases sagging. It is also commonly believed that the breast itself offers insufficient support and that wearing a bra prevents sagging which has not been found to be true.

Plastic surgeons categorize the severity of ptosis by evaluating the position of the nipple relative to the infra-mammary fold, the point at which the underside of the breasts attach to the chest wall. In the most advanced stage, the nipples are below the fold and point towards the ground.

Breast eczema (also known as "Nipple eczema") may affect the nipples, areolae, or surrounding skin, with eczema of the nipples being of the moist type with oozing and crusting, in which painful fissuring is frequently seen, especially in nursing mothers. It will often occur in pregnancy even without breast feeding.

Persisting eczema of the nipple in the middle-aged and elderly needs to be discussed with a doctor, as a rare type of breast cancer called Paget's disease can cause these symptoms.

Pain management during childbirth is the treatment or prevention of pain that a woman may experience during labor and delivery. The amount of pain a woman feels during labor depends partly on the size and position of her baby, the size of her pelvis, her emotions, the strength of the contractions, and her outlook. Tension increases pain during labor. Virtually all women worry about how they will cope with the pain of labor and delivery. Childbirth is different for each woman and predicting the amount of pain experienced during birth and delivery can not be certain.

Some women do fine with "natural methods" of pain relief alone. Many women blend "natural methods" with medications and medical interventions that relieve pain. Building a positive outlook on childbirth and managing fear may also help some women cope with the pain. Labor pain is not like pain due to illness or injury. Instead, it is caused by contractions of the uterus that are pushing the baby down and out of the birth canal. In other words, labor pain has a purpose.

Ruling out the other possible causes of the pain is one way to differentiate the source of the pain. Breast pain can be due to:

- angina pectoris

- anxiety and depression

- bra

- blocked milk duct

- breastfeeding

- chest wall muscle pain

- consensual, rough sex

- costal chondritis (sore ribs)

- cutaneous candida infection

- duct ectasia (often with nipple discharge)

- engorgement

- fibroadenoma

- fibrocystic breast changes

- fibromyalgia

- gastroesophageal reflux disease

- herpes infection

- hormone replacement therapy

- mastalgia

- mastitis or breast infection

- menopause

- menstruation and Premenstrual syndrome

- perimenopause

- neuralgia

- pregnancy

- physical abuse

- pituitary tumor (often with nipple discharge)

- puberty in both girls and boys

- sexual abuse

- shingles

- sore nipples and cracked nipples

- surgery or biopsy

- trauma (including falls)

Medications can be associated with breast pain and include:

- Oxymetholone

- Chlorpromazine

- Water pills (diuretics)

- Digitalis preparations

- Methyldopa

- Spironolactone

Diagnostic testing can be useful. Typical tests used are mammogram, excisional biopsy for solid lumps, fine-needle aspiration and biopsy, pregnancy test, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).