Q & A of Ovarian Cysts During Pregnancy

Question:
I am 35 and 13 weeks into my second pregnancy. Four weeks, I went to the hospital for pain in my lower right quadrant. An ultrasound examination showed a cyst on my right ovary, about 15cm. The doctor told me in bed since then, and I have had two sonograms. Does not happen. Doctors seem to think that it is filled with fluid and not cancer. Cysts can really get off on their own? How long should I wait to see if we can? Have you heard any of these large cysts during pregnancy and those who are a risk to the baby?

Alberta

Answer:
Cysts (fluid-filled structures) can be found on their own, but it is unlikely, a 15cm cyst in pregnancy will do so. The cysts are not uncommon during pregnancy, about 1 in 1,000 pregnant women. The vast majority of ovarian masses during pregnancy are benign, the incidence of ovarian cancer is 1 in 25,000 births. Sonography can be useful in determining whether a mass is benign or malignant, but can not do it with 100 percent certainty. If the ultrasound shows that the mass is strictly liquid without septation or thick walls, it is probably benign.

The problem with the large, but benign cysts during pregnancy is that they break or torso (rotation about themselves). Each of these events leads to considerable pain for the mother and the potential for miscarriage or premature Labor and delivery for the baby. Large (more than 6-8cm) cysts are usually removed surgically, if not decreasing in size spontaneously during a few weeks. In pregnancy, the best time for operation in the second quarter, ideally around 14-16 weeks. Occasionally, a cyst can be treated by laparoscopy, but very large cysts often require a large open cut.

A cyst of 15 cm is quite large, and the possibility of complications such as rupture is high. For storage of more than two weeks, I suggest you talk to your doctor about your choice. Your doctor may have been, only to see that now, until the first quarter (the first 13 weeks of pregnancy). I deleted several posts of this size during pregnancy, and all of my patients came to healthy babies.