Connection Between Ovarian Cysts & Fertility—How Could an Ovarian Cyst Stops You From Having a Baby?
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What are Ovarian Cysts?
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Which & How ovarian cysts affect fertility?
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Common signs & symptoms of Ovarian cysts
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Treatment for ovarian cysts that affect fertility
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Ovarian cysts diagnosed during pregnancy…is it time to panic?
Ovarian cysts are extremely common in women in their reproductive years. Though it may be unknown, most women produce at least an ovarian cyst each month (that is the follicle where the egg comes from). While most of the cysts are harmless or helpful as well, by the way of the illnesses some ovarian cysts affect fertility.
What are Ovarian Cysts?
Cyst is the generic name for a cavity or fluid-sac that can form in various places throughout the human body. Ovarian cysts are small fluid-filled sacs that develop in ovaries, which are usually resulted from ovulation. Most of the ovarian cysts resolve on their own by breaking or being absorbed by the body.
Not all cysts affect your fertility, in fact functional cysts form as a byproduct of ovulation. Ovarian cysts are not cancerous and usually harmless. But some of the ovarian cysts may cause symptoms such as rupture, pain or bleeding. So, it is important to understand the function of the ovaries & how cysts can develop.
Women normally have two ovaries, each about the size of a walnut that stores and releases an egg every month and this process is known as ovulation.
There are two types of ovarian cysts that are common byproducts of ovulation:
Follicular cysts—these cysts from when ovulation doesn’t occur and a mature follicle inovualtes. Instead of releasing an egg, the follicle stays intact & the cyst continues to grow up to 2-3 inches in diameter.
The rupture of follicular cysts can create severe pain on the side of the involved ovary. This pain often occurs in the middle of menstrual cycle, during ovulation and these cysts produce no symptoms.
Corpus Luteum Cysts—or luteal cysts form after ovulation . Usually, once the egg is released, the follicle shrinks into a mass of cells called corpus luteum, that produces hormones for the next cycle. Instead of shrinking, the follicle itself releases & fluid builds up inside forming luteal cysts.
Both these cysts are harmless & disappear within weeks or months without any treatment. For pregnant women, luteal cysts are actually very important as they produce progesterone that is essential for the first eight to ten weeks of pregnancy.
Which & How ovarian cysts affect fertility?
There are a few types of cysts that are significantly associated with lower fertility. Actually, it is not these ovarian cysts directly that make it harder to get pregnant, they are the symptoms of larger illnesses that might compromise your fertility.
Endometriomas/Endometriosis cysts—are a manifestation of the condition called endometriosis, this type of cysts are formed when endometrial tissue is present on the ovaries. It affects women often during their reproductive years and may also cause chronic pelvic pain.
Women with endometriosis may have problems with conception, some studies demonstrate that mild cases of endometriosis patients have only a 2-4% chance of pregnancy compared to normal women. Endometriosis is even linked to unexplained infertility, with decreased ovarian reserve and decreased fertility occurs by either an anatomical distortion or through inflammation.
Polycystic Ovaries—Polycystic Ovary Syndrome-a hormone disorder forms several tiny ovarian cysts affecting fertility by a higher rate. In women with PCOS, the eggs never get mature enough to prompt ovulation, so no eggs are released from the ovary. Thus immature follicles containing immature eggs cause the ovary to become polycystic filled with tiny cysts.
The chronic lack of ovulation changes the hormone levels which play a key role in the ovulation process. PCOS is often associated with increased levels of male hormones called androgens. PCOS don’t ovulate and ovulation is essential for getting pregnant.
Common signs & symptoms of Ovarian cysts
- Symptoms can be present, especially with the ruptured or large cysts. The yare variable & may include:
- Lower pelvic or abdominal pain—may be intermittent or can be sudden, severe and sharp.
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- A feeling of pelvic or lower abdominal pressure or fullness
- Chronic pelvic pain/lower back pain throughout the menstrual cycle
- Infertility
- Vaginal pain or spotty bleeding
- Heartburn
- Bloating.
- Pressure or pain with urination or bowel movement
- Nausea & vomiting, etc.
Treatment for ovarian cysts that affect fertility
Ovarian cysts don’t require specific treatment, especially if they are not causing any symptoms.
Treatments may involve oral contraceptives and pain relievers. And ruptured dermoid cysts might require surgery as they are very irritating to the internal organs. And surgery might be necessary for the ruptures that cause internal bleeding and are suspicious for cancer.
Do treatments for cysts affect fertility? It depends on the treatment. hormonal birth control medication doesn’t have an effect on fertility. Surgery sometimes creates complications and may result in lower egg count, which is one of the factors in fertility.
Ovarian cysts diagnosed during pregnancy…is it time to panic?
Ovarian cysts are common during the early pregnancy, even though the woman is no longer menstruating, and these cysts are usually harmless. Rarely, there are few possible issues if the cysts continue to grow throughout the pregnancy. they may rupture, twist, or even cause complications during childbirth.
If you are dealing with any symptoms of ovarian cysts or PCOS and struggling to get pregnant, talk to any obsteriain or fertility specialist about your potential treatment options. Through the proper care and the best course of treatment MotherToBe fertility specialists help you attain successful and healthy pregnancy.