Cyst during pregnancy

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

Symptoms of a cyst during pregnancy

It is difficult to say why a cyst occurs during pregnancy. Experts mainly attribute this to hormonal changes and accompanying changes that occur in the female body. There are other factors that influence the process of cyst formation: heredity, unbalanced diet, overwork, depression and stress, as well as abortions that the woman has had 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 pregnancy from a cyst, the latter is often detected only at the stage of ultrasound. In general, the following symptoms are characteristic of this disease:

• feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen;
• lower back pain;
• decreased blood pressure;
• increased urination;
• temperature rise.

The pain may not be constant. Sometimes it appears or becomes stronger during sports and other physical activities. In addition, the ovary increases in size and begins to put pressure on the intestines. This can cause constipation and discomfort in the stomach.

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

In the most difficult cases, which involve suppuration, twisting or rupture of the cyst, the woman may experience confusion, cold sweat and acute abdominal pain. If these symptoms occur, urgent surgical intervention is necessary.

What are the consequences of a cyst during pregnancy?

For women who are preparing to become mothers, the first question that arises is how dangerous this neoplasm is. It is impossible to give an exact answer to this question. A cyst can behave in different ways. Sometimes it stops growing or disappears altogether, in such cases the pregnancy goes well. If the tumor begins to grow, it must be removed to avoid complications. 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 pregnancy process. But a large functional cyst poses 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 discovered during pregnancy, the first rule is to calm down and not panic. As a rule, experts advise taking a wait-and-see approach and observing how this neoplasm behaves. In this case, it is necessary to regularly visit a doctor, undergo ultrasound and other tests. If any unpleasant symptoms occur, you should immediately report it to a specialist.

Cysts that appear towards the end of pregnancy do not pose a particular threat. However, this does not relieve the woman of the need to go for an examination and follow all the doctor’s recommendations. When she gives birth to the baby, the doctor will prescribe suitable therapy for her.

If the cyst does grow and reaches 6-8 cm, surgery may be required. It is done by laparoscopy at 14-16 weeks of pregnancy. 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 their ovaries are not immune from them during pregnancy. However, a cyst is far from a death sentence. Complications with this disease do not occur so often, and in most cases the woman manages to give birth to a healthy baby.