Ovarian Cysts
The ovaries are a pair of organs in the female reproductive system, located in the pelvis on either side of the uterus. Each ovary is the size and shape of an almond. The ovaries produce eggs and female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. These hormones regulate the development of the female's breasts, body shape, and body hair and regulate the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Every month during the menstrual cycle an egg is released from one ovary. This is called ovulation- the egg travels from the ovary through the fallopian tube to the uterus.
A cyst is a fluid filled sac. Various cysts may form on the ovaries. The most common ovarian cyst is a functional cyst, which usually forms during the normal menstrual cycle when the female's ovaries grow tiny cysts that hold the eggs. When an egg is mature the sac breaks open to release the egg so it can travel through the fallopian tube for fertilization. The sac dissolves afterwards. In a follicular cyst, the sac does not break open to release the egg and continues to grow. It usually disappears within 3 months. A corpus luteum cyst forms if the sac does not dissolve and instead seals off when the egg is released. Fluid builds up inside of it. It usually goes away after a few weeks but may bleed or painfully twist the ovary. Functional cysts are usually never associated with cancer.
There are other types of ovarian cysts. Endometriomas are cysts that develop in females who have endometriosis, a condition in which tissue from the uterine lining grows inside of the uterus. It may attach to the ovary. These cysts can be painful during sexual intercourse and menstruation. Cystadenomas are cysts that develop from cells on the ovarian surface. They are filled with a watery fluid or thick gel and can beome large and painful. Dermoid cysts occur when the ovarian cells actually make hair, teeth, and other growing tissues that become part of a forming ovarian cyst. They are...
View Full Essay