Last Updated on February 2, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
Yes. Ovarian cysts are common in women of childbearing age, and it’s not unusual for expectant mothers to learn that they have one while they’re carrying their unborn child. Fortunately, the majority of ovarian cysts are completely benign and have no negative effects on pregnancy. This article covers every important aspect of ovarian cyst development during pregnancy.
What is an ovarian cyst?
An ovarian cyst is a sac filled with fluid that is found inside the ovary. Many women experience ovarian cysts, but the good part is that the majority of these cysts are harmless, painless, and resolve on their own after four to six weeks.
Functional cysts and pathological cysts are the two main types of ovarian cysts. The two most common types of functional ovarian cysts are corpus luteum and follicular cysts. Cysts associated with endometriosis, dermoid cysts, and cystadenoma cysts make up the majority of the pathological cysts. The most common ovarian masses associated with pregnancy are functional cysts, such as the corpus luteum of pregnancy and theca-lutein cysts. On ultrasound, hormonal factors can cause the follicular cyst or corpus luteum cyst to appear differently.
Most of these cysts disappear during the first 14 to 16 weeks of pregnancy, but some, such as theca lutein cysts, can persist until delivery. The majority of these cystic masses are non-functional after 16 weeks of pregnancy.
What can a pregnant woman do if she has an ovarian cyst?
The majority of ovarian cysts won’t affect your pregnancy in any way. For instance, the chances are good that a corpus luteum cyst will disappear on its own by the second trimester. While some other types of cysts may continue to grow during pregnancy and occasionally cause pain, most of the time these cysts don’t harm the fetus.
In order to ensure that an ovarian cyst won’t affect your pregnancy, ask your doctor to schedule routine ultrasounds to check your ovaries. An ovarian cyst ultrasound can be used to keep track of any cyst to make sure it doesn’t develop or change in a way that might be alarming.
What if a pregnancy-related ovarian cyst bursts?
Even when pregnant, a functional ovarian cyst rupture is typically not a cause for concern. With time, the cyst’s fluid will naturally reabsorb, so all that is required is some pain relief medication and a few days of pelvic rest.
In fact, the majority of medical professionals advise against treating ruptured ovarian cysts during pregnancy other than with watchful waiting, which entails observation, ultrasounds, and monitoring.
Although not all women experience pain following an ovarian cyst rupture, some do. An ovarian cyst rupture can cause moderate to severe pain, vaginal bleeding, nausea, vomiting, light headedness, and even fever.
However, if there is a risk of infection from the rupture, significant bleeding, torsion, or another effect on the pregnancy in some way, your doctor may advise surgery.
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