9cm cyst... I am 8 months pregnant! Will it go away?

[JoJo1291]

Hello, I am 23 years old and I am 35wks pregnant . I am due February 4th. I have a 9cm cyst on my left ovary. My OBGYN suggest surgery after the delivery due to the fact she thinks it's at the point to were it won't go away on its own. I really do not want surgery. I'm thinking if I just want maybe two months after I have my son will it go away then??? Can some help out with feedback with experience???

[krchelle]

Since you want to keep your ovary, I would suggest seeking a second opinion after your child's birth.  There seems to be a pretty broad spectrem of beliefs in how much time you should wait and see, if the ovary should be removed, etc.  You may be able to find a surgeon that can remove just the cyst and I would advise going that route if at all possible.  Also, I would be interested in getting a second opinion on how soon your body will be ready for surgery after childbirth.  Perhaps, in that time period the cyst will start to shrink?

[old_before_my_time]

Probably the biggest concern is ovarian torsion which can occur when the cyst gets too large and heavy. It can be quite painful and choke off blood supply to the ovary which can cause it to die.

You are right to not want your gynecologist to do surgery since she wants to remove your ovary. You may want to start researching gynecologists who do cystectomies. Surely you can find one who will remove the cyst especially since you are only 23. I hope you can anyway!

[JoJo1291]

Is it bad that I want to at least wait til after I deliever my baby to wait just two months to see if it shrinks down on its on??..

[JoJo1291]

Well my doctor wants to take my whole ovary and not just the cyst though . She always says I am capable of just doing a vaginal delivery . I just had an ultrasound yesterday he's head is in down position, so no worries there. I have another ultrasound in two more weeks. She want to take my whole left ovary not just my cyst, that's why I do not want the surgery done!  I'm thinking due to my pregnancy it has gotten bigger & afterwards it will shrink on its on... Thank you both for your feedback!!

[old_before_my_time]

Although most ovarian cysts resolve on their own, the size of yours would lead me to believe that it probably won't. However, the hormones of pregnancy may have played a big part in it getting this big and so the hormone changes that occur after birth may cause it to shrink making monitoring a possible option. You may be able to find some studies about ovarian cysts and pregnancy. PubMed is a good source.

If you do need to have it surgically removed, it is best to have just the cyst removed (cystectomy) versus the whole ovary. Removal of any part of the female sex organ or "reproductive" system can cause permanent hormone disruption which can reduce fertility and also increases risk for a number of health problems. Not all gynecologists have good cystectomy skills so the right surgeon can make all the difference. A gynecologist/surgeon who specializes in infertility may be your best bet.

[bluejoanna]

Is it possible that you give birth with a c section and then they can also remove the cyst? I have read it in a few cases. Your cyst is quite big though. Maybe you can ask your doctor.