Ovarian cysts during pregnancy: What you need to know

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Nguyen Chi Quang, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital. Dr. Quang has many years of deep professional experience and strength in the treatment of obstetric and gynecological diseases.

Ovarian cysts in pregnancy are often diagnosed incidentally through fetal ultrasound. Pregnant women can have any type of cyst, but the most common is the corpus luteum cyst, rarely malignant cysts that are dangerous to the mother and fetus.

Ovarian cyst is the most common tumor, accounting for 3.6% of gynecological diseases. The disease develops silently, has a long silence, but when it turns to malignancy, it progresses very quickly. The most vulnerable period is during the childbearing years. If not detected early, cysts can turn into ovarian cancer, affect a woman's ability to have children, and even endanger a woman's life. Ovarian cysts can develop and exist in many different forms with many dangerous complications, of which ovarian cyst torsion is a dangerous, life-threatening complication that can be encountered at any age. age, especially women aged 30 and over.

There are 5 common causes of ovarian cysts that have been recognized, including:
The follicles are not fully developed, do not ovulate and do not absorb the fluid in the ovary. The blood vessels of the endometriosis areas in the ovaries burst, causing bleeding to form cysts. Excess chorionic gonadotropin hormone leads to the formation of lutein cysts. Excessive secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH). The development of the corpus luteum leads to the appearance of a corpus luteum tumor.

For ovarian cysts during pregnancy, surgery will be considered more. Without an accurate prognosis of the time and health status, it can be dangerous for both mother and fetus. Complications such as miscarriage, premature delivery, inability to feed can occur.
Pregnant women are diagnosed with ovarian cysts through routine antenatal check-ups or pregnancy ultrasound. Any type of cyst can develop, but the most common is the corpus luteum cyst (dermis cyst), rarely malignant cysts. If the prognosis is high for the occurrence of torsion, the sooner the better.
If caesarean section early in the first 3 months of pregnancy, it is easy to cause miscarriage. Therefore, it is recommended to have a caesarean section for the fetus after 16 weeks of age because the placenta has already secreted enough progesterone to nourish the fetus.
It is not necessary to have surgery if it is a corpus luteum cyst because this is the time when the cyst has decreased in size or stopped growing. However, pregnant women must perform a number of mandatory tests, must undergo an ultrasound to evaluate the ovarian tumor carefully, and must closely monitor the progression of the ovarian tumor.
If the tumor develops after 16 weeks, surgery should be done immediately, unless detected late in pregnancy. If not operated, it can endanger the mother's life.

Compression of the fetus Ovarian cysts during pregnancy affect the development of the fetus. It is associated with the growth of size and is directly affected by the cyst tumor, the fetus will be subjected to a lot of pressure from the tumor. This compression will significantly hinder the normal development of the fetus, leaving the baby without much space to develop. More pronounced in the last months of pregnancy. That is also the reason why pregnant women are heavier and always in a state of discomfort, heaviness, and bloating.
Risk of early miscarriage Cysts as they grow can rupture and twist. These two complications are the high risk of early miscarriage in the first weeks of pregnancy. Many cases are forced to terminate the pregnancy to protect the health of the pregnant woman because as soon as the pregnancy is discovered, it is also the time when the cyst has serious complications and requires surgery.
However, not all cases have complications. Ovarian cysts can still be pregnant and can be safe for 9 months and 10 days to give birth to a mother with a square baby without any problems.
You have to closely monitor your pregnancy and make correct decisions, sometimes you have to accept unexpected situations.

The best way is that before planning to become pregnant and give birth, women should have a gynecological examination, ultrasound, especially the uterus and ovaries. Thereafter, antenatal care should be performed within the first 3 months of pregnancy to detect tumors of the uterus or ovaries. Because after the first 3 months, the uterus will grow according to the development of the fetus, ovarian tumors will be difficult to palpate on examination and difficult to observe with an ultrasound machine, the possibility of miss will be higher. Meanwhile, complications can occur at any time during pregnancy affecting the health and survival of both mother and child.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is implementing the Basic Gynecological Examination and Screening Package. Women can refer to and choose the package of examination and screening at the hospital to be able to detect early infectious diseases as well as screen for early detection of gynecological cancer (cervical cancer).