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Get answers to your Urinary Incontinence / Urogynecology questions.
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Physiologic ovarian cysts; Functional ovarian cysts; Corpus luteum cysts; Follicular cysts
Functional ovarian cysts usually don't need treatment. They usually disappear within 8 - 12 weeks without treatment.
Birth control pills (oral contraceptives) may be prescribed for 4 - 6 weeks. Longer term use may decrease the development of new ovarian cysts. Birth control pills do not decrease the size of current cysts, which often will go away on their own.
Surgery to remove the cyst or ovary may be needed to make sure there are no cancer cells. Surgery is more likely to be needed for:
Types of surgery for ovarian cysts include:
The doctor may recommend other treatments if a disorder, such as polycystic ovary disease, is causing the ovarian cysts.
Cysts in women who are still having periods are more likely to go away. There is a higher risk of cancer in women who are postmenopausal.
Complications have to do with the condition causing the cysts. Complications can occur with cysts that:
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if:
Also call for an appointment if the following symptoms have been present on most days for at least 2 weeks:
Katz VL. Benign gynecologic lesions: Vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, oviduct, ovary. In: Katz VL, Lentz GM, Lobo RA, Gershenson DM, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:chap 18.
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