Health Centres - Ovarian cysts
What are ovarian cysts?
A woman's ovaries have two functions: to develop eggs and produce hormones. They contain the immature eggs that mature and develop over the course of a woman's life until the menopause. Every month, one or occasionally two eggs mature and loosen from the ovary. The egg finds its way to the Fallopian tube, where it may be fertilised if sperm are present.
The second function is the production of the female sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone.
Inside the ovaries, cysts may develop. These are cavities filled with liquid and are almost always benign. Cysts can occur from one month to the next. They may burst and thus disappear on their own. But if they have reached a certain size, they are unlikely to disappear naturally.
What are the symptoms of ovarian cysts?
Most ovarian cysts produce no symptoms and women are unaware of their presence. However, if a cyst ruptures, twists, or if there is bleeding into the middle of the cyst, then one-sided lower abdominal pain is common.
If the cyst is large then it may cause pressure on the bladder or bowel. Occasionally, a cyst may cause discomfort or pain during sex.
Ovarian cysts are sometimes a feature of other conditions affecting the pelvic organs, such as endometriosis. They are occasionally seen in early pregnancy.
Very occasionally, an ovarian cyst is actually the earliest form of ovarian cancer. However, ovarian cysts are very common, and affect mainly women in their 30s and 40s, whereas ovarian cancer is uncommon and mostly affects women over the age of 50.
How are ovarian cysts diagnosed?
The description of the type of discomfort is not usually enough for a doctor to make a diagnosis. Larger cysts can be felt at the time of a pelvic (internal) examination. A pelvic ultrasound is the most reliable way to make the diagnosis.
What will the doctor do?
This will depend on the size and appearance of the cyst, whether it involves one or both ovaries, the amount of discomfort experienced and the age of the woman.
If the cyst does not disappear within a few months, the patient will normally be referred to a gynaecologist. The gynaecologist may advise removing the cyst. This can often be performed using laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery although not all cysts are suitable for removal in this way.
What are the symptoms if an ovary is removed?
If it is necessary to remove the entire ovary, rather than just the cyst, a woman's normal hormone production and her periods will not be affected.
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