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Fetal & Pediatric Surgery (Expert Forum)
ovarian cyst in fetus @ 33 weeks?
Answered by
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Questions in this forum are answered by pediatric and fetal surgeons from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. This forum is for questions and support about issues such as abdominal and thoracic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, oncologic surgery, trauma surgery, fetal surgery and surgery to treat congenital disorders and malformations.
ovarian cyst in fetus @ 33 weeks?
by Diabolicafemmia, Jun 18, 2009 10:41AM
I didnt even know there was such a thing, let alone the fact they could see or Dx so early? I saw my Peri. today for my standard NST/ check up and the ultrasound found a cycst on my babies ovary. How often does this happen? How often is the result surgical? Is there any long term reproductive effect to the baby?
Doctor's Answer
by Thane A Blinman, MD, FAAP, Jul 21, 2009 12:45PM
, Jul 21, 2009 12:45PM
Cysts form commonly on infant ovaries. Usually these are trivial, and resolve on their own without other treatment, and have no effect on fertility.
Occasionally, however, the cyst either cause or indicated trouble. Sometimes, the cyst grows VERY large, and when the baby is born the cyst creates mechanical problems just from being so big. For example, the cyst can makes the ovary twist on its blood supply (an “ovarian torsion”) or it can block the intestines. In these cases, surgical treatment is needed. At CHOP, this is done laparoscopically—and in most cases the ovary is preserved (even if the ovary is lost, the other ovary preserves fertility). But most of the time, these cysts are small and stay small and require no treatment (some can even be drained with an ultrasound-guided needle)
In other cases, the cyst doesn’t cause trouble, but reveals that there is trouble: an ovarian teratoma. This is a type of tumor, usually not malignant, that needs to be removed surgically.
In either case, what I imagine is that your obstetrician will follow it (the size, and the complexity of it) with ultrasound, and either it will be nothing to trouble with, or they will find you a pediatric surgeon to take care of it.
Occasionally, however, the cyst either cause or indicated trouble. Sometimes, the cyst grows VERY large, and when the baby is born the cyst creates mechanical problems just from being so big. For example, the cyst can makes the ovary twist on its blood supply (an “ovarian torsion”) or it can block the intestines. In these cases, surgical treatment is needed. At CHOP, this is done laparoscopically—and in most cases the ovary is preserved (even if the ovary is lost, the other ovary preserves fertility). But most of the time, these cysts are small and stay small and require no treatment (some can even be drained with an ultrasound-guided needle)
In other cases, the cyst doesn’t cause trouble, but reveals that there is trouble: an ovarian teratoma. This is a type of tumor, usually not malignant, that needs to be removed surgically.
In either case, what I imagine is that your obstetrician will follow it (the size, and the complexity of it) with ultrasound, and either it will be nothing to trouble with, or they will find you a pediatric surgeon to take care of it.
