The Bartholin's glands (also called greater vestibular glands) are two glands located slightly below and to the left and right of the opening of the vagina. They lubricate the vagina during sexual arousal.

A cyst happens when the duct gets blocked up, an abscess is when the cyst gets infected.

I had a girlfriend who had an abscess and had to have surgery to remove the abscess and part of the gland.