Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
The ovary is one of a pair of reproductive glands in women that are located in the pelvis, one on each side of the uterus. Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond. The ovaries produce eggs (ova) and female hormones. The ovaries are the main source of female hormones, which control the development of female body characteristics such as the breasts, body shape, and body hair. They also regulate the
menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Ovarian cysts are closed, sac-like structures within an ovary that contain a liquid, gaseous, or semisolid substance.
The ovary is also referred to as the female gonad.
What causes ovarian cysts?
Ovarian cysts form for numerous reasons. The most common type is a follicular cyst, which results from the growth of a follicle. A follicle is the normal fluid-filled sac that contains an egg. Follicular cysts form when the follicle grows larger than normal during the menstrual cycle and does not open to release the egg. Usually, follicular cysts resolve spontaneously over the course of days to months. Cysts can contain blood (hemorrhagic cysts) from injury or leakage of tiny blood vessels into the egg sac.
Another type of ovarian cyst that is related to the menstrual cycle is a corpus
luteum cyst. The corpus luteum is an area of tissue within the ovary that occurs after an egg has been released from a follicle. If a pregnancy doesn't occur, the corpus luteum usually breaks down and disappears. It may, however, fill with fluid or blood and persist
as a cyst on the ovary. Usually, this cyst is found on only one side and produces no symptoms.
Occasionally, the tissues of the ovary develop abnormally to form other body tissues such as hair or teeth. Cysts with these abnormal tissues are called benign
cystic teratomas or dermoid cysts.
Endometriosis is a condition in which cells that normally grow inside the uterus (womb), instead grow outside
of the uterus. The ovary is a common site for endometriosis. When endometriosis involves the ovary, the area of endometrial tissue may grow and bleed over time, forming a brown-colored cystic area sometimes referred to as a
chocolate cyst or endometrioma.
Both benign and malignant tumors of the ovary may also contain cysts. Furthermore, the condition known as
polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by the presence of multiple cysts within both ovaries.
PCOS is associated with a number of hormonal problems and is the most common
cause of infertility in women.
Infections of the pelvic organs can involve the ovaries and Fallopian tubes. In
severe cases, pus-filled cystic spaces may be present on or around the ovary or
tubes. These are known as tubo-ovarian abscesses.
Ovarian Cysts - SymptomsQuestion: The symptoms of ovarian cysts can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease?
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
A cyst is a closed sac- or bladder-like structure that is
not a normal part of the tissue where it is found. Cysts are common and can
occur anywhere in the body in persons of any age. Cysts usually contain a
gaseous, liquid, or semisolid substance. Cysts vary in size; they may be
detectable only under a microscope or they can grow so large that they displace
normal organs and tissues. The outer wall of a cyst is called the capsule.
Endometriosis is the growth of cells similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. Endometriosis implants
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an
There are many types of ovarian cancer, epithelial carcinoma is the most common. Women with a family history of ovarian cancer have an increased risk of
Cysts are saclike structures that can occur throughout the body and usually contain a semisolid, liquid, or gaseous substance. Infections, tumors, genetic
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), also known by the name Stein-Leventhal syndrome, is a hormonal problem that causes women to have a variety of symptoms
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur.
While the general public understands that internal
bleeding means bleeding that can't be seen on the outside of the body, medical
personnel tend to use terms that describe precisely where inside the body t"...
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