Bartholin's glands are a pair of glands, each about the size of a pea, whose secretions maintain the moisture of the vestibular surface of the vagina. They are situated at about the 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock position of the vestibule and normally cannot be palpated. Damage or infection of the ostium of the duct causes blockage and a cyst occurs that may become infected.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/doctor/bartholins-cyst-and-abscess-pro