Causes of Irregular Menstrual Cycle & Types of Ovarian Cysts

Ovarian teratomas, hydatoncus and chocolate cyst, are common female diseases caused by ovarian cysts. Many women will develop ovarian cysts at some point. Most of the cysts disappear without developing into malignant tumours or turning to any critical illnesses.

What is Ovarian Cyst?

Most ovarian cysts are benign, or not cancerous. Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs or pockets in an ovary or on its surface. During ovulation, eggs are released from the sacs into woman's fallopian tubes. After that, the sacs typically dissolve, but sometimes the sacs can remain and fill with air or fluid to develop into a cyst. For women who have not reached menopause, 90% of their ovarian cysts are benign. Most present little or no discomfort and are harmless. The majority even disappears without treatment within a few months.

There are many types of ovarian cysts, but the two main types are functional ovarian cysts and pathological ovarian cysts.

1. Functional Ovarian Cysts

Functional Ovarian Cysts refer to the cysts that develop as a part of the menstrual cycle. Every month, follicles grow and rupture after ovulation. If a normal monthly follicle keeps growing, it's known as a functional cyst or ovarian hydatoncus.

• Follicular cysts: Begin when the follicle does not rupture or release its egg but continues to grow.
  
  
• Corpus luteum cysts: Develop when a sac closes up after releasing its egg, allowing the process of lip accumulation (luteinisation) and formation of preovulatory follicle.
  
  
• Hemorrhagic ovarian cysts: Occur when the above types of cysts growing too quicking and causing follicle bleeding into a cyst due to blood accumulation in the ovary.

These types of cysts generally disappear within a couple of weeks. Only a few cases of hemorrhagic ovarian cysts cause pain and require surgical resection.

2. Pathological Ovarian Cysts

Cysts are formed due to abnormal ovarian cell growth, which is not related to normal menstruation. Chocolate cysts and dermoid cysts fall into this type and are benign ovarian cysts. However, pathological ovarian cysts can develop into malignant tumours.

• Dermoid cysts: Contains tumours with structures such as hair, teeth, or skin glands. The chance of canceration is low since tumours are grown from embryonic cells.
  
  
• Ovarian endometrioma (chocolate cyst): Endometrial tissue lines the uterus. Endometriosis causes this tissue to grow outside the uterus, forming chocolate fluid-like cysts.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts

Some women may not experience any symptoms. But when the cyst fluids accumulate, symptoms may get more evident along with the process. The symptoms of ovarian cysts include:

• Abdominal pain and bloated
• Gastrointestinal distress
• Pelvic pain
• Back pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Menstrual disorder
• Swollen tummy or foreign body in the abdomen

If you have any of the above symptoms, please visit your doctor for suitable treatments.

Costs of Ovarian Cystectomy

Even if most ovarian cysts disappear within a few months, there are exceptional cases when cysts continue growing and cause you pain. Surgical removal, namely laparoscopic surgery, should be considered to remove the cysts. If the cysts further develop and spread to the entire ovary, a full resection of the whole ovary may be required.

Below are the costs of ovarian cystectomy at private hospitals in Hong Kong:

*Prices as of 10 Feb 2021.

Note: Some of the plans do not include special procedures. For detailed pricing, please contact the respective hospitals and medical centres.

Regular Gynecological Examination

Regular female health checks can prevent ovarian cysts from developing into critical illnesses. For women over 25-year-old, an annual full-body check-up, including pelvic ultrasound examination and cervical smear, is highly suggested to inspect the health of your uterus and ovary. It is important to report abnormal symptoms to your doctor immediately for further diagnosis and treatment. The sooner you know what’s going on, the better.

To know more about pelvic ultrasound examination costs, you could read this article about ovarian cancer.

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Sources:

1. 如何區分卵巢腫瘤是良性還是惡性？
2. 女性常見疾病：卵巢囊腫你了解嗎？｜女人迷Womany
3. 惱人的瘤– 談女性卵巢囊腫
4. https://www.healthline.com/health/ovarian-cysts#symptoms
5. 【婦科疾病系列】卵巢囊腫勿忽視了解朱古力瘤治療方法
6. 【25歲要做超聲波檢查】婦科醫生：年輕女生照到9厘米朱古力瘤