Hemorrhagic Ovarian Cysts: Symptoms and Treatment

Hemorrhagic ovarian cysts — cysts that develop in women who ovulate, when a follicle bleeds and develops a fluid-filled sac around it (a follicular or corpus luteum cyst), are not uncommon, but happen only in women of reproductive age. These hemorrhagic ovarian cysts can grow to different sizes, from very small to rather large, and though most ovarian cysts cause no symptoms at all, some hemorrhagic ovarian cysts can lead to symptoms like abdominal or pelvic pain, pressure, and a constant feeling of being full (like you've eaten too much). 

Hemorrhagic ovarian cysts don't necessarily have an impact on a woman's fertility (chances of getting pregnant), and though some cause pain and other symptoms, they are benign (non-cancerous). If a woman who has a hemorrhagic does not experience any painful symptoms as the result of the cyst, she may either never realize that the cyst is there, or the ovarian cyst might be discovered during a gynecological ultrasound done for completely different reasons, including a routine OBGYN checkup or an early pregnancy checkup. 

If a hemorrhagic that is small in diameter is found, it is actually quite likely that your doctor won't recommend the surgical removal of the cyst. Research has found that small to medium hemorrhagic cysts most often eventually go away on their own, with no medical intervention. This option is generally preferable, since surgery carries its own risks. Instead, your doctor may advise conservative management, or the careful monitoring of the cyst to see if it changes at all.

When a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst is five centimeters or larger in diameter, it causes chronic pelvic pain, or it has been determined with time that the ovarian cyst is not going to go away on its own, then surgery may be recommended to remove the cyst.

Women whose healthcare providers recommend undergoing surgery to remove a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst should be aware that, while the ovary itself can sometimes be preserved, in other cases, the ovary will have to be taken out in order to fully remove the hemorrhagic ovarian cyst. Unless you have other fertility struggles, it is possible to get pregnant naturally even with one ovary — but the implications of having an ovary taken out should be discussed with your treating doctor before the operation. 

Hemorrhagic ovarian cysts: Take-home messages for readers

• Women who experience pelvic pain, bloating without an obvious cause, or a feeling of fullness even if they haven't eaten recently, should see a gynecologist to find out what is going on. The cause may be a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst, or something completely different. If you need treatment, a correct diagnosis will allow you to receive it. 
• Many hemorrhagic don't cause any functional problems, including fertility problems, and do not have to be removed. Many will go away on their own, given time. 
• If you are found to have a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst and have no symptoms, all your doctor may want to do is monitor the cyst. For large, symptomatic, or persistent cysts, surgery may be advised, and in some cases the entire ovary has to be excised. 
• Even after a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst disappears or is removed, new cysts can form and there is no way to prevent this process.