Cysts of various origins are not uncommon in women of reproductive age. A similar diagnosis is made mainly for patients from 12 to 50 years old. Especially unpleasant if an ovarian cyst is detected during pregnancy. Let's try to figure out how dangerous this state of affairs is, and what to do in this case.
Cysts are benign tumor formations in the body of the ovaries. The voids are filled with fluid, cysts can increase or decrease in size. With an unfavorable course of the disease, rupture of the cyst may occur. This is fraught with the occurrence of peritonitis and always requires surgical intervention.
There are follicular cysts, corpus luteum cysts (functional), parovarial, dermoid cysts. A variety of these neoplasms can be considered an endometrioma, or endometrioid cyst.
During pregnancy, women often encounter two types of cysts - endometrioid and follicular. Depending on the type, an ovarian cyst during pregnancy requires different treatment tactics.
By itself, an endometrioid cyst is not an obstacle to conception. However, its appearance is due to endometriosis, that is, the germination of foci of a specific intrauterine membrane in other parts of the woman's body. This disease is accompanied by an adhesion process in the ovaries, damaging the follicular apparatus and preventing the egg ready for fertilization to enter the abdominal cavity. This type of ovarian cysts becomes a source of pain in the lower abdomen, heavy painful menstruation and intermenstrual bleeding.
An endometrioid ovarian cyst during pregnancy may not cause a woman problems. Surgery by laparoscopy is prescribed only when the size of the cyst becomes very large, its growth is rapid, or twisting of the cyst legs is observed. Cyst removal operations are performed under general anesthesia and involve a risk to the child. Regardless of the initial size of the cyst, constant monitoring of the course of the disease is necessary. There are frequent cases when the endometrioid ovarian cyst and pregnancy do not affect each other in any way.
Almost 70% of all ovarian cysts are follicular. Follicular cyst and pregnancy are phenomena that are not mutually exclusive. The causes of the appearance of such cysts are often endocrine disorders and inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs. An anovulatory cycle, when a matured dominant follicle does not give an outlet to the egg and remains in the ovary, initiates the development of this kind of formation. It may not manifest itself in any way and is often found during a routine examination or during the diagnosis of other diseases of the female genital area. If a follicular ovarian cyst is detected, during pregnancy adhere to expectant tactics. Until the neoplasm reaches 8 cm in diameter and does not threaten to burst, they do not touch it. In half the cases, the vial dissolves itself, especially since the hormonal background of the pregnant woman contributes to this.
Sometimes - in no more than 5% of cases - a woman is diagnosed with a corpus luteum cyst. Most often, this type of cyst is found in patients of reproductive age, especially pregnant women. After ovulation, the cavity from which the egg leaves does not fall, but is filled with liquid. Often, a corpus luteum cyst causes a malfunction of the menstrual cycle, and delayed menstruation may be mistaken for a sign of pregnancy. Such misconception is facilitated by nausea and engorgement of the mammary glands, which often accompany this disease. A monthly ultrasound examination of the cyst will help you choose a treatment, if necessary.