Ovarian Cysts
Women of child-bearing age develop follicles (egg blasts) every month before ovulation. It’s in these follicles that the egg grows. During ovulation (when the follicle is 18-20 mm in diameter) the follicle bursts and the egg moves into the fallopian tube.
But sometimes the follicle fails to burst. This can be the case when receiving hormone stimulation in connection with fertility treatment or in the case of other inexplicable causes. Instead of bursting, the follicle develops into a cyst, often filled with fluid and in rare cases blood as well. Usually such cysts are tiny and just disappear after a while. But sometimes they grow, and then they require treatment.
Symptoms
Sometimes you’ll experience no symptoms at all if you have a cyst because they are usually tiny. But sometimes you may have symptoms like:
- Pain during sex
- A visibly enlarged tummy
- A bearing-down sensation
- Need to go to the toilet more often
- Problems emptying your bladder
Large cysts can rupture suddenly. This means that the fluid is emptied into your abdomen, or if the cyst contained blood, there can be some bleeding. This can be really painful, and you may run a fever as well. .
Sometimes a cyst can twist on itself, which means that it cuts off the blood supply. This can cause severe pain, and you must contact your doctor.
