Large 7 cm cyst on right ovary at 8th week pregnancy. What are the risks?

I'm 7.5 weeks pregnant.  Had an ultrasound last week and Dr. said I have a 7 cm cyst on my right ovary, but it's clear or simple meaning fluid-filled.  However, I researched a bit on the internet and it seems like any cyst larger than 5 cm is abnormal and may require a surgical removal.

I had a miscarriage one year ago and don't won't this pregnancy to terminate.  More importantly, I don't want the cyst to persist and affect my future fertility.  Dr. ask me to go back for another ultrasound in 4 weeks.  Is that too long of a wait.  It's killing me.  I want to get another look sooner, but the Dr. said it probably won't make a difference.  I heard rupture is the most common during 1st trimester.  If I need a surgical removal, would the general anaesthetic procedure cause abnormality in the baby?  I also heard that the cyst during pregnancy in early stage serve the purpose to support the baby before the placenta takes over, but it shouldn't become that big.  Dr. also said it normally goes away some time during the pregnancy, but when?  What if it continues to grow during this 4 week wait before my next ultrasound?  How big can it get?  Should I push for another ultrasound sooner?  Very confused.  Any comment is appreciated.

[Emma1]

Let me say this and your situation could be different, but I have probelms with cysts and this is what I know. The first 12 wks of pregnancy you do usually have a cyst. I have a really big one right now, but that cyst is the one that is producing the progesterone until the placenta develops. Could this not be what you have? I'm sorry you're going through this, b/c everything with pregnancy is very worrisome, but try to stay relaxed. Good luck to you!!!!

[ni-ki]

hello i know exactly what your going through right now. i am actually 35 weeks pregnant BUT when i got my 20wk ultra sound they found a 4cm cyst on my right ovary it was a simply fluid filled cyst as well. Over the next 2-3 months i had U/S and it contiuned to get bigger so when i was 32wks the cyst got to 12cm and was getting bigger the GYN was afraid of torsion(where the cyst twists around the overy cutting off the blood supply to the baby) so on March 9th i went into the labor and delivery ward and had the cyst drained from 12cm-5cm i went back the 15th of March and the cyst grew back to 10cm and is getting bigger. The GYN decided its best i wait until i deliver and 6wks after the baby is born i will need surgery. BUT it DOES NOT affect your pregnancy it does not affect your baby. I would wait the 4wks they want you to wait and then if it does get bigger i would talk to your doctor about surgically removing it. The anestetic (SP) they give you will not harm your baby because you are really early in your pregnancy by the time i found out about my cyst i couldn't have the surgery it was to dangerous for the baby. Since you are early on i believe the procedure of surgery is different then if you were further along. But like i said be patient and wait the 4 weeks to see what happens the docs need a sufficent amount of time to see how the cyst grows. But i wish you the best of luck and if you have any questions i know what your going through so feel free to ask ... GOD BLESS!

[twinsmommy]

Hi gi-li! I have a 6.5 cm endometrioma (chocolate cyst) and since it doesn't hurt, we decided to wait until my c-section or 6 weeks after that if they don't get to it (I have a placental problem as well). But as Ni-ki says, it's best to wait and see if it goes away first and you have plenty of time for surgery if you need it. I researched the subject on the internet and it seems that a little laparoscopy between 16 and 20 weeks should pose no problem. I'm not saying there are no risks, but no study has been able to link problems directly to the anesthetics.
Hey Ni-ki, so your dr. decided to wait? Good that you don't have to do the procedure again!

[ni-ki]

yes twinsmommy is correct about the 16-20wks after 20 weeks surgery is not even a possibility but you have plenty of time to make a decision......

and yes my doctor decided its best to wait only because i started having contractions and this time if i start having contractions they won't stop them and the doc wants me to go as far as i can before anything can happen... who knows maybe after i give birth the cyst might go away only time will tell =)

[ni-ki]

i am pretty sure you won't have a late surgery you caught this cyst very early on and if it does need to be surgically removed then you can do it you have plenty of time for it. and i am pretty sure it won't affect your baby or the growth of your baby or anything... and i also heard that if you remove a cyst it does sometimes come back i am not sure if that is rare or not but i heard that and i dunno about the infertility that would freak me out too.

and i am in pain alot to i totally feel it when i sleep on my right side or when i bend over or slouch or what not but since i am so far along there isn't much they can do about it... next time you talk to the doctor i would definately let them know that you are in pain  and it bothers you most likely if you tell them that they will do something about your cyst ASAP... and i don't know about the cyst shrinking because mine got bigger and still gets bigger maybe i am a special case haha but just have faith in your doctors and believe that they know what they are talking about =) and everything will work out in the best for you

[Gili]

Thanks Emma, Ni-ki, Twinsmommy and Cdoyle for all the feedback.

I mainly don't want to end up with a late surgery or abortion.  My husband and I don't want to take any risk with fetal abnormality.  But a friend of mine has persistent cyst that came back after pregnancy despite removal.  A year later, she realize she became infertile.  This really freaks me out.  But everyone seems to think that case is extreme and it's not something to worry about.

It's literally driving me crazy and overly sensitive to any pain I have.  The problem is I actually can feel the cyst when I bend down or turn my body.  Pain is intermittent.  The Dr. did comfort me that torsion or rupture is rare, only about 5% chance to cyst larger than 5 cm.  I read that the once the placenta takes over the progesterone task, then the cyst should shrink.  Wonder how far along the pregnancy that will happen.  I'm praying that my next ultrasound will be more promising.

[CDoyle]

All I can offer is that I had my 8 week ultrasound last Friday and I have a 5 cm fluid filled cyst as well. All the advice and comfort that the posters are giving is exactly what my doctor said as well. She also said that it could go away by itself. If not, the procedure done in the 2nd trimester is perfectly safe. My doctor said to just make I pay attention to any sharp pains in that area.

[sandrichelle]

I'm really hoping to get some insight from someone regarding a dear close friend of mine.  Back in September my friend had to have surgery to remove 2 large chocalate cysts, the surgery was not fun, they had to open her up completly.  She has been trying to get pregnant and her doctor told her that she had to have this procedure done or there would be no way she would get pregnant.  Well now, she returned for a checkup and they are all back and now the doctor is saying that she needs to have another surgery and might loose everything.  The only other option they are giving her is to get on a treatment program which basically will put her body into menopause.  She has also talked to some homeopathic doctors that have had her take natural medicines to clean out her liver and hopefully shrink the cysts.  Well needless to say she had another doctors opinion done and all they want to do is cut her open again.  I am looking for any advice someone may be able to give, is there anything else she should try, are the risks of rupture high, she is very surprised because since she has started on the natural meds she has been feeling better, no more breast tenderness and she is not getting all of the pain she was before....please help!!!

[1stpregmommy]

I am concerned because my doctor did an ultrasound and we couldn't see half of the baby because there was a cyst or something covering the bottom half of the baby.  I had a laparoscopy about 6 months before I conceived.  The tests showed that I have endometriosis.  I'm fearing this may be an endometrioma cyst.  The doctor scheduled me an appointment with a different doctor in 6 weeks.  I'm totally stressing out about it and praying that my baby will be alright.  I have had a history of cysts and I have even blacked out when one of them burst.  I'm afraid of what it could do to the baby.   If anyone can help me, please let me know.