Ovaries are a part of the female reproductive system located in the lower abdomen. They are placed on both sides of the uterus. There are two ovaries that produce hormones progesterone and estrogen as well as eggs. Ovaries are responsible for controlling the development of female body characteristics such as hair, body shape, and breasts. They also regulate pregnancy and the menstrual cycle.

Over time, a fluid-filled structure or sac can be developed on one of the ovaries. This sac is called a cyst and many women, during their lifetime develops at least one cyst. Cysts are harmless and in most cases, they cause no pain or any symptoms. However, cysts may or may not represent a neoplasm or tumor. If it appears to be a tumor, it may be malignant or benign.

Some smaller cysts cause no symptoms. In these cases, you may not even know you have a cyst. Larger cysts may cause the following symptoms:

• Pelvic pain or a dull ache in your back.
• A feeling of fullness (bloating) in your lower belly.
• Pain during intercourse.
• Painful periods.
• Nausea and/or vomiting

Some prolonged symptoms may be associated with a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). This is a condition that causes irregular periods and other hormone-related problems, including obesity and infertility. Other symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome include hirsutism (increased growth of body hair) and difficulty losing weight.

In most cases, ovarian cysts do not show any signs of discomfort. But the symptoms can appear if the cyst starts to grow. The symptoms are the signs of ovarian torsion or ruptured cyst. Both these complications are required to be taken seriously as it can have severe consequences on your health if not treated early.

There are several factors that cause ovarian cysts and most of them are not cancerous.

It is an infection caused in the pelvic organs involving the fallopian tubes and the ovaries. This infection causes the formation of pus-filled cystic spaces around the ovaries and tubes.

Both malignant and benign tumors of the ovary may be cystic. The ovaries experience the abnormal tissue development forming cyst-like structures, but they are actually tumors.

This condition results in the formation of small and multiple cysts on both ovaries. This condition is associated with hormonal problems and can cause infertility in women.

Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD), also known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a very common condition affecting 5% to 10% of women in the age group 12–45 years. It is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with menstrual periods and make it difficult for her to conceive. The principal features include no ovulation, irregular periods, acne, and hirsuitism. If not treated it can cause insulin-resistant diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol leading to heart disease.

Women who have this condition can get pregnant with the right surgical or medical treatments. Pregnancies are usually normal.

Doctors follow a multitude of diagnostic procedures for testing and diagnosing ovarian cysts. It includes a routine pelvic examination, looking for a swelled-up ovary, and more.

In case, if the doctor feels like the conditions are worse, he/she may issue imaging tools for diagnosing ovarian cysts.

This tool is used for visualizing the ovaries

This device is used to produce in-depth images of the internal organs

This device is used to create cross-sectional images of the internal organs.

You may have a blood test that measures the level of a substance called CA 125. Several other blood tests also can be used to help identify whether a mass on the ovary is concerning for ovarian cancer.

Due to the fact that the cysts only appear for a few weeks or months, the doctor will not instantly recommend a treatment plan such as the ovarian cysts surgery. Instead, the doctor will repeat the diagnosis and tests for few more weeks to check whether the cyst is growing or diminishing.

Treatment of ovarian cysts depends on the symptoms and their cause.

Functional ovarian cysts generally go away without treatment. Your doctor may give you medications containing hormones (such as birth control pills) to stop ovulation and prevent future cysts from forming. If you do not ovulate, you will not form functional cysts. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to remove a cyst.

Moreover, the doctor will consider the age and the size of your cyst to determine the treatment plan. It requires frequent monitoring to determine whether the cysts are functional or not. The cysts are prone to get ruptured and can cause significant bleeding. In this case, ovarian cysts surgery is required. Moreover, malignant and benign tumors also require surgical treatment.

The vital part of any kind of cyst treatment is observation. The doctors also evaluate blood tests like CA-125 to determine if the cyst poses any potential for cancer.

Ovarian cysts can be easily removed via surgery either with laparotomy or with laparoscopy.

It is one of the safest procedures considered and is used to treat simple ovarian cysts.

This surgical treatment is followed if your ovaries are affected with multiple cysts.

If you are feeling severe pain or in case of malignancy, then the doctor may perform an open abdominal incision.