Cyst during pregnancy

Pregnancy for a woman is a long-awaited joy and brings the most positive emotions. However, at the same time it is also a great burden on the body. During such a difficult period for a woman, various pathologies can be identified that can harm the health of both the woman and the fetus. One of these diseases is the ovarian cyst.

Symptoms of a cyst during pregnancy

Why a cyst occurs during pregnancy is difficult to say. Experts mainly associate this with hormonal changes and related changes that occur in the female body. There are other factors that affect the cyst formation process: heredity, unbalanced diet, overwork, depression and stress, as well as abortions that the woman had done before.

Timely diagnosis is complicated by the fact that during pregnancy, the symptoms of the cyst are not very pronounced or do not appear at all. Although it will not be difficult for an experienced specialist to distinguish a pregnancy from a cyst, the latter is often detected only at the ultrasound stage. In general, this disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

• feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen;
• back pain;
• decrease in pressure;
• increased urination;
• temperature increase.

The pain may not be constant. Sometimes it appears or becomes stronger during sports, as well as other physical activity. In addition, the ovary increases in size and begins to press on the intestines. Because of this, constipation may occur, and stomach discomfort is felt.

From time to time, expectant mothers complain of such unpleasant symptoms as nausea and even vomiting. They usually occur when the neoplasm has reached a large size or its integrity is broken.

In the most difficult cases, which consist of suppuration, twisting or rupture of the cyst, the woman may be confused, cold sweat and sharp abdominal pain appear. If these symptoms occur, urgent surgery is needed.

What is the risk of a cyst during pregnancy

For women who are preparing to become mothers, the first question arises as to how dangerous this neoplasm is. It is impossible to give an exact answer to this question. The cyst can behave in different ways. Sometimes it stops growing or dissolves altogether, in such cases the pregnancy goes well. If the neoplasm begins to grow, in order to avoid complications, it has to be removed. Otherwise, there may be a threat to the health of both the mother and the unborn baby.

In addition, the consequences depend on the type of neoplasm. For example, a small dermoid or follicular cyst has almost no effect on the course of pregnancy. But a large functional cyst is a serious danger, since with such a disease there is a threat of miscarriage.

What to do with a cyst during pregnancy

If a cyst is found during pregnancy, the first rule is to calm down and not panic. As a rule, experts advise to take a wait-and-see attitude and observe how this neoplasm will behave. In this case, it is necessary to regularly visit a doctor, undergo an ultrasound scan and other studies. If any unpleasant symptoms occur, you should immediately inform a specialist about it.

Cysts that have arisen towards the end of pregnancy do not pose a particular threat. However, this does not relieve a woman of the need to go for an examination and follow all the doctor's recommendations. When she has a baby, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate therapy for her.

If the cyst has grown and has reached 6-8 cm, surgery may be required. It is done by laparoscopy at 14-16 weeks of gestation. True, operations pose a certain threat to the fetus, so everything must be carefully weighed before making a decision.

Even expectant mothers who have never had problems with the ovaries are not immune from them during pregnancy. Nevertheless, a cyst is far from a sentence. Complications with this disease do not occur so often, and in most cases a woman manages to give birth to a healthy baby.