Pregnancy is an important phase of every woman’s life. But at times, there are several complications one has to deal with. One such complication is Ovarian Cyst. Ovarian cysts are sacs or pockets filled with fluid in an ovary or on its surface. It is fairly common and present in all women. Cysts are usually harmless, but at times they may create problems like rupture, bleeding or ovarian cyst pain that may require medical assistance.

Recommended Read:  Bleeding During Pregnancy: All You Need to Know

Every woman has two ovaries. The ovaries are responsible for releasing and storing the eggs. They are placed on either side of the uterus. Each ovary releases an egg every month, during the middle of the menstrual cycle. This is known as ovulation. The egg grows in the ovary, while a hormone, called estrogen prepares the uterus for the pregnancy.

Causes of Ovarian Cysts

The causes of Ovarian Cysts are obesity, irregular menstrual cycle, early menstruation before the age of 11, infertility, hypothyroidism, and tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts
The symptoms of Ovarian Cysts depend on the size of the cyst. Most functional cysts do not exhibit any symptoms. The larger the cyst, the more the problems it poses. The cysts that lead to ovarian tumors are usually of 12 inches or even more. Here are some of the most common symptoms of Ovarian Cysts:

• Pain in the lower belly, usually during the middle of the menstrual cycle; as well as cramps.
• A delay in the start of menstruation.
• Bleeding from vagina, even when there is no menstruation

Abnormal or irregular bleeding during the menstrual cycle is another symptom of ovarian cyst. Spotting or light bleeding from the vagina is also a possibility. In rare cases, the cyst might develop into ovarian cancer. However, benign functional ovarian cysts do not lead to cancer, and most ovarian cysts are benign.

Signs and symptoms of ovarian cyst are not observed in most cases. They are usually found during the routine physical examination. However, in case of complex ovarian cysts, there may be a few signs or symptoms such as:

• Pain during sexual intercourse.
• Severe sudden pain in the lower abdomen or the pelvic zone.
• Irregular menstrual cycle.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Bloating.
• Abdominal tenderness
• Abdominal distension.
• Pain or pressure with urination or bowel movement.
• Vaginal pain.
• Feeling of abdominal fullness.
• Problems with the control of urination.
• A feeling of lower abdominal or pelvic pressure or fullness.
• Feeling full early when eating.
• Chronic pelvic pain or low back pain throughout the menstrual cycle.
• Heartburn.

Complications of ovarian cyst and remedies

Ovarian cyst usually does not affect a woman’s ability to conceive. If you have conceived once, it is a good indicator that you may be able to do again. The only complication of ovarian cysts that can lead to difficulty in conceiving is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) . Women who are obese, have excessive hair growth, and face the problem of irregular or non-existent periods can be suffering from PCOS – and conceiving can be difficult for them.

Recommended Read:  Symptoms Associated with PCOS

The cure for this ailment is getting fit so that your body is ready to cope with pregnancy. A varied diet with a regular schedule of workouts can be a good remedy for dealing with PCOS and leading a healthy life. PCOS affects the production of eggs as it does not let the egg to develop and release. Thus ovulation does not happen and leads to infertility.

Most ovarian cysts are just functional; a result of the hormonal fluctuations that occur during the menstrual cycle. They are usually harmless and may lead to ovarian cyst pain, but do not indicate a specific disease. Cysts usually occur during pregnancy or the time when a woman is still fertile to carry a baby. Most of the cysts may disappear within a few weeks with the help of ovarian cyst treatment. However, certain cases may warrant ovarian cyst removal by means of a surgical process.

Keep yourself updated with the latest on Family Planning & Pregnancy . Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more on Health , Parenting and Diet & Nutrition . Also, check out our Health Tools and try out our health-related Quizzes .