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Reviewed by Dr Philip Owen, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist
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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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Based on a text by Erik Fangel Poulsen, specialist
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Last updated 06.07.2005
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