Can ovarian cysts cause late period?

Ovaries

The female reproductive system is remarkable. Every woman has the two ovaries on each side of the lower abdomen or pelvis and they have to role to produce an egg and release it into fallopian tube in order to be fertilized. Since the human body is susceptible to many diseases and disorders, the ovaries, too, can be affected. Ovaries are usually affected by the ovarian cysts.

Ovarian cysts

Ovarian cysts are growths that appear in the ovaries or on the surfaces of the ovaries. In the majority of cases, only one ovary is affected, but there are also cases when ovarian cysts appear in both ovaries simultaneously, although rarely. In most cases, ovarian cysts are benign growths and they are like small sacs filled with fluid. They are of different size and usually disappear on their own. Rarely, any medical treatment is necessary. However, there are few cases when the ovarian cysts are malignant and cause ovarian cancer, which spreads to the surrounding organs, such as the uterus and colon and can even reach the lungs.

When the symptoms of this disorder appear, they usually include acute pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen on one or the both sides, a feeling of heaviness, or pressure in the pelvic area and frequent urination, as well as nausea along with acute diarrhea.

Ovarian cysts types

There are several types of ovarian cysts.

Benign ovarian cysts include:

Functional cysts,
Follicular cysts,
Cysts following GnRH agonist treatment,
Corpus luteum cysts,
Theca lutein cysts,
Benign cystic teratoma (Dermoid),
Endometrioma,
Serous cystadenoma,
Mucinous cystadenoma.

Functional cysts are benign and usually asymptomatic and, therefore, do not require any treatment as they are not harmful. Followed up with repeated scans will usually confirm the spontaneous resolution of the cysts. But when the cyst is large, it may interfere with fertility treatments and In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The formation of cysts during IVF treatment may be of no clinical significance, but it may negatively influence the results of IVF treatment; hence diagnosis is very crucial for the success rate of treatments such as IVF.

Transvaginal Ultrasonographic guided cyst check-up is often performed in cases where cysts appear during GnRH agonist treatment before starting ovarian stimulation. Benign cysts, also known as teratoma (dermoid) cyst, is the most common ovarian tumor in women in the second and third decades of life. Surgical management was often advised with a view of making a definitive diagnosis, and the cyst found was removed while preserving the healthy tissues of the ovary.

Recently, a more conservative approach has been suggested regarding dermoid cysts; evidence suggests that a dermoid cyst, especially when it is smaller than 6 cm, can be a little more complicated. If cysts are not growing and not painful, then the removal of a dermoid cyst can be delayed until family planning is resumed. Endometrioma is usually a sign of more advanced endometriosis, which is a cause of infertility.

According to the new (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) ESHRE guidelines, surgery should not be performed before ART only with the aim of improving the pregnancy rate. Surgery should be considered before ART for tissue diagnosis only; it reduces the risk of infection after oocyte retrieval and improves the accessibility of follicles

✓ Fact confirmed: AN OVERVIEW OF OVARIAN CYSTS Mansi Rana and Praveen Nasa; 01 November 2020

Ovarian cysts and late menstrual period

The most important warning sign of the ovarian cysts is late menstrual cycle. Since the ovarian cysts tend to form themselves during a menstrual cycle, they can cause irregular menstrual periods that manifest through considerably early or late menstrual cycles. Furthermore, heavy and excessive bleeding, as well as menstrual cramping can be also triggered by the ovarian cysts. When the ovarian cyst is small, it does not cause much pain, but only late menstrual period. However, when it starts to grow the pain occurs.

When they are diagnosed by the means of ultrasound, many doctors prescribe contraceptive pills because they are very effective in treating the ovarian cysts. If the cysts do not disappear, the surgery is the option. Sometimes, it is even needed to remove the whole ovary. The most common surgical procedures that are employed when the ovarian cysts are in question are cystectomy, laparoscopy and laparotomy. Nowadays, many doctors recommend holistic way to treat the ovarian cysts, because by this method, the causes are eliminated together with the health problem, while the conventional methods only cure symptoms.