Ovarian Cysts and Pregnancy:
PROTECT Yourself and Your Baby

Pregnancy is a natural phenomenon and so are cysts in the ovary. But though pregnancy is controllable, cysts grow themselves and are functional in nature mostly. Now, there are two relevant issues involved here - (a) cysts that are discovered after she conceives, and (b) cysts that were present before pregnancy.

The first issue is always more important for the simple reason that pregnancy can always wait till the cyst is removed to safeguard against all hazards.

What Will You Do If The Cysts Are Discovered After Pregnancy?

The symptoms are often similar to those relating to pregnancy, except for the pain in your lower abdomen that can also affect your thighs. There can also be an unfamiliar abdominal pressure that can grip you sometimes. Nevertheless, you should go for ultrasound to see if your ovarian cyst is malignant or benign. Remember, this is very important because a lot will depend on the test result.

Let us assume that your cysts are benign or non-cancerous because of the simple fact that most of them are. Malignant or cancerous (or pre-cancerous) cysts are quite rare. But even benign cysts can cause a lot of alarm. They may belong to the Demoid family that tend to grow along with your foetus. But don't you worry. Your abdominal cavity has plenty of vacant space to be filled up by both. But the danger is elsewhere. The cyst may become twisted or turn (medically termed torsion) sending sharp tongues of spasm and pain that may seem unbearable. And it may also cause miscarriage.

A ruptured or burst cyst can also cause excruciating pain and discomfort during the later periods of pregnancy. However, chances of getting any infection out of it are practically negligible. Also, it will not do any harm to your baby who will continue to grow normally. And you can still have epidural anaesthesia during labour. However, miscarriages occurring due to ruptured ovarian cyst are not very rare.

Ovarian Cyst Removal - Using Laparoscopy For Malignant Ovarian Cysts

Laparoscopic removal of malignant ovarian cysts for pregnant women involves a complex operational process. This is because the surgeon has to be extra careful about keeping the foetus safe and beyond injury.

Two small pencil thin holes are punched in the abdomen right under the belly and CO² is pumped into the abdomen through one of them. The laparoscope, which is a device with a built-in video camera, lighting arrangement and other accessories, is subsequently pushed into the abdomen through another hole made aside the first two.

As the video camera starts transmitting images of the ovary that conceals the cyst, the surgeon manipulates the surgical instruments to scoop out the cyst. A lot depends on the skill of the surgeon. To remove the cyst intact (this is very important because otherwise the cyst may break up and spill all its content), care should be taken to remove the cyst wall down to the ovarian helium. Cauterizing the deeper area without removing the cyst wall may increase the risk of recurrence.

Intraperitoneal leakage during ovarian cystectomy can be minimized by exteriorizing the ovary and using packs prior to ovarian capsule incision. Alternatively, placing the ovary into a bag prior to cystectomy will have similar effect. Although surgeons differ in this issue, most of them nevertheless agree on the significance of the process.

Ovarian Cyst Surgery - Disadvantages Of The Laparoscopic Method

There are many advantages of laparoscopy such as a shorter hospital stay, lesser blood loss and quicker recovery time. But there are some disadvantages too such as.

• It does not provide 3-dimensional vision - this is very important for the surgeon.
• Absence of tactile sense - especially useful in detecting malignancies and judging the degree of adhesions.
• General anaesthesia and steep trendelennurg positioning of the patient are always required. This often creates problem for ventilation for patients with compromised pulmonary function. Anaesthesia when you are pregnant can cause problems.
• Only highly skilled surgeons can successfully carry out this type of surgery.
• Total dependence on specially manufactured surgical tools.
• Does not permit exploration of bowel and the retroperitoneal space, as a result of which it becomes difficult to address bowel and ureteral adhesions.

Ovarian Cyst Treatment When You Are Pregnant