A cyst is a fluid-filled sac. In most cases a cyst on the ovary does no harm and goes away by itself. Most women have them sometime during their lives. Cysts are rarely cancerous in women under 50. Cysts sometimes hurt - but not always. Often, a woman finds out about a cyst when she has a pelvic exam.
If you're in your childbearing years or past menopause, have no symptoms, and have a fluid-filled cyst, you may choose to monitor the cyst. You may need surgery if you have pain, are past menopause or if the cyst does not go away. Birth control pills can help prevent new cysts.
A health problem that may involve ovarian cysts is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS can have high levels of male hormones, irregular or no periods and small ovarian cysts.
National Women's Health Information Center
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Ovarian Cyst(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/279.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/279.printerview.html
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Ovarian Cysts
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/ovariancysts/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/ovariancystsspanish/htm/index.htm -
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/Polycystic_Ovary_Syndrome.cfm
- Ovarian Cysts(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp075.cfm
- Ovarian Cysts(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/ovarian-cysts/DS00129/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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Diagnostic Laparoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/laparoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/laparoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm
- PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) Tests(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/pcos-3.html
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Ultrasound - Pelvis(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=pelvus
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=pelvus
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Nutrition Guide for Teens(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/pcos_nutrition.html
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JAMA Patient Page: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/297/5/554.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/297/5/554/DC1/1
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/faq/pcos.htm
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)(Hormone Foundation) - Links to PDF - In English and Spanish - http://www.hormone.org/Resources/Reproduction/upload/bilingual_pcos.pdf
- Hirsutism and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome(American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Large PDF file - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/patientbooklets/hirsutismPCOS.pdf
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Insulin Sensitizing Agents and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)(American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - Links to PDF - http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/insulin.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.asrm.org/Patients/FactSheets/spanish/agentes.pdf
- PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) Quiz(Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association) - http://www.pcosupport.org/support/quiz.php
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Diagnostic Laparoscopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/laparoscopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/laparoscopyspanish/htm/index.htm
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Ovarian Cysts(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/ovariancysts/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/ovariancystsspanish/htm/index.htm
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Abdominal Hysterectomy with Coagulating Shears(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 9/11/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM-Flash/ens_1879/rnh.cfm?id=632
- Atlas of the Body: Female Reproductive Organs(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ8QKJ56JC&sub_cat=516
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Polycystic+Ovary+Syndrome%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Ovarian Cysts(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Ovarian+Cysts%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Pulmonary edema after catastrophic carbon dioxide embolism during laparoscopic ovarian... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18729315&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Fetal ovarian cysts diagnosed during prenatal ultrasound screening. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18603510&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: The first successful elective laparotomy. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18578360&tool=MedlinePlus
- Ovarian Cysts -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=ovarian+cysts[majr:noexp]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Polycystic ovary syndrome -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=polycystic+ovary+syndrome[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary of Terms(Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association) - http://www.pcosupport.org/medical/glossary/glossary_A.php
- ACOG's Physician Directory(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/member-lookup/disclaimer.cfm
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National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
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National Women's Health Information Center(Dept. of Health and Human Services) - http://womenshealth.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://womenshealth.gov/espanol/
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/pcos.html
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://www.girlshealth.gov/body/pcos/
- Preparing for Your Oral Glucose Tolerance Test: A Guide for Teens with PCOS(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/ogtt.html
- Understanding Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in Teens: A Guide for Parents and Guardians(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/pcos_parent.html
- Endocrine System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinesystem.html
- Female Reproductive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/femalereproductivesystem.html
- Women - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/women.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Ovarian Cysts is the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/