Ovarian cyst
Most ovarian cysts are generally harmless and disappear without treatment in a few months.
Small cysts are normal in the ovary. There may only be a problem is there are a large number of cysts, they’re persistent, or become particularly large.
Ovarian cysts may affect both ovaries at the same time, or they may only affect one.
What are ovaries?
The ovaries are part of the female reproductive system. They are 2 small, bean-shaped organs, one each side of the womb (uterus).
The ovaries have 2 main functions. They are:
to release an egg around every 28 days as part of the menstrual cycle
to release the female sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone
Types of ovarian cyst
The 2 main types of ovarian are:
functional ovarian cysts (most common) – develop as part of the menstrual cycle and are usually harmless and short-lived
pathological ovarian cysts (much less common) – occur due to abnormal cell growth
Ovarian cysts can sometimes also be caused by an underlying condition, such as endometriosis.
The vast majority of ovarian cysts are non-cancerous (benign). But a small number are cancerous (malignant).
Small cysts are normal in the ovary. There may only be a problem is there are a large number of cysts, they’re persistent, or become particularly large.
Ovarian cysts may affect both ovaries at the same time, or they may only affect one.
What are ovaries?
The ovaries are part of the female reproductive system. They are 2 small, bean-shaped organs, one each side of the womb (uterus).
The ovaries have 2 main functions. They are:
to release an egg around every 28 days as part of the menstrual cycle
to release the female sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone
Types of ovarian cyst
The 2 main types of ovarian are:
functional ovarian cysts (most common) – develop as part of the menstrual cycle and are usually harmless and short-lived
pathological ovarian cysts (much less common) – occur due to abnormal cell growth
Ovarian cysts can sometimes also be caused by an underlying condition, such as endometriosis.
The vast majority of ovarian cysts are non-cancerous (benign). But a small number are cancerous (malignant).
Ovarian cysts may affect both ovaries at the same time, or they may only affect one.
What are ovaries?
The ovaries are part of the female reproductive system. They are 2 small, bean-shaped organs, one each side of the womb (uterus).
The ovaries have 2 main functions. They are:
to release an egg around every 28 days as part of the menstrual cycle
to release the female sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone
Types of ovarian cyst
The 2 main types of ovarian are:
functional ovarian cysts (most common) – develop as part of the menstrual cycle and are usually harmless and short-lived
pathological ovarian cysts (much less common) – occur due to abnormal cell growth
Ovarian cysts can sometimes also be caused by an underlying condition, such as endometriosis.
The vast majority of ovarian cysts are non-cancerous (benign). But a small number are cancerous (malignant).
Symptoms
Most cysts are found by chance during a scan. They’re unlikely to cause any symptoms unless they’re large or abnormal.
An ovarian cyst will usually only cause symptoms if it splits (ruptures), is very large, or it blocks the blood supply to the ovaries.
Contact your GP practice if:
you have sudden, severe pelvic pain
If your GP is closed, phone 111.
Contact your GP practice if:
You’re worried about your symptoms or you regularly have:
pelvic pain – this can range from a dull, heavy sensation to a sudden, severe and sharp pain
pain during sex
difficulty having a poo
a frequent need to urinate
heavy periods, irregular periods or lighter periods than normal
bloating and a swollen tummy
feeling very full after only eating a little
difficulty getting pregnant
If your GP practice is closed, phone 111.
Useful information for your doctor
It can be helpful to keep a note of your period dates and symptoms using a calendar, a diary or an app. You can then discuss this with your doctor who can decide if any tests or treatments might be needed.
If you’re seeing your doctor, there are some useful pieces of information to think about beforehand:
the first day of your last period (when it started)
how many days your period usually lasts
what was the shortest time between your periods (from the first day of one period to the first day of the next)
what was the longest time between your periods (from the first day of one period to the first day of the next)
how often you need to change your period products on a heavy day
if you are over 25, when you had your last smear test