Abnormally large ovaries: What you need to know

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was consulted with Specialist Doctor I Truong Thi Phuong - Doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Obstetrics and Gynecology Department - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
There are many causes of abnormally enlarged ovaries. Some causes are considered organic (not harmful). During the menstrual cycle, the ovaries enlarge as the mature follicle develops and prepares for ovulation. Enlarged ovaries can also be a sign of ovarian cancer. This is a malignancy but not a common cause. Therefore, when there are any abnormal signs causing enlarged ovaries, you need to see a doctor to check to rule out these malignant causes. Here are some causes of abnormally large ovaries.

1. Ovulation

The ovary is an organ of the reproductive system and has two main tasks:
Recruiting oocytes to create mature follicles and releasing eggs for fertilization; Production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Ovulation occurs when the dominant follicle reaches its maximum growth and releases an egg in preparation for fertilization. Ovulation usually occurs around the middle (day 14) of your cycle.
Just before you ovulate, there may be one or two dominant follicles in the ovary that are swollen, filled with follicular fluid and ready to be released. Other signs of ovulation include:
Increased or changed vaginal discharge; slight increase in body temperature; Feeling of cramping in the abdomen. You usually don't have to intervene in this situation. Large ovaries during ovulation is a normal phenomenon in the menstrual cycle. Symptoms of contractions and enlarged ovaries will subside after the egg is released.

2. Ovarian cyst

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that form in the ovaries. This is a fairly common condition, often seen in women of reproductive age. Ovarian cysts can affect up to 18% of women.
Cysts can cause the ovaries to enlarge - especially if the cyst is large or multi-cystic. There are three different types of ovarian cysts, including corpus luteum cyst, dermoid cyst, and ovarian cyst.
2.1 Luteal cysts The corpus luteum cysts are formed after the mature follicles release an egg. Sometimes, what is left of a follicle after release does not regress and the closure of this follicle normally causes fluid to accumulate inside the follicle and form a corpus luteum cyst.
2.2. Dermoid cysts Ovarian cysts are cysts of ectoderm origin, so the inside of the cyst usually contains tissues of ectodermal origin such as skin, hair, hair follicles, sebaceous glands or sweat glands. These tissues can secrete fluid that forms cysts inside the ovary and can cause the ovary to enlarge.
Dermoid cyst looks like a developing blastocyst. The skin, sweat glands, and other tissues inside the cyst may gradually enlarge. These cysts are usually benign and cause no symptoms. Doctors often discover them during an ultrasound or surgery for another reason.
2.3. Ovarian cysts Ovarian cysts form from a mature follicle that does not release an egg during ovulation. Instead, it grows and turns into a cyst. Ovarian cysts usually have no symptoms and usually resolve on their own.
2.4. What can you do when you have an ovarian cyst? Most ovarian cysts are benign and cause few serious complications. They will usually disappear within a few months without treatment, except for some organic tumors such as dermoid cysts that require surgical treatment if indicated. If the cysts are large enough to cause symptoms like pain and bloating, or if they burst, you may need surgery to remove them. Your doctor may also prescribe birth control pills to prevent future ovarian cysts.

3. Ovarian torsion

Twisted ovarian cyst occurs when the ovary and part of the fallopian tube become twisted, leading to ischemia and necrosis. This disease usually occurs due to tumor in the ovary or abnormal growth on the ovary that creates conditions to cause ovarian torsion. Sometimes a woman has torsion ovaries because anatomical abnormalities in the ovaries make the ovaries more mobile than normal.
Ovarian torsion can affect reproductive function in women. Symptoms of ovarian torsion include:
Pain in the lower abdomen and pelvis that is cramping or constant; Nausea; Vomit. Ovarian torsion is a medical emergency. Torsion of the ovary can cut off blood flow to the ovary, causing necrosis and subsequent infection of the ovary. If you have this condition, you need to have surgery immediately, if treated promptly, you can remove the torsion, remove the ovarian tumor to help preserve the ovaries, if it is delayed, it may have to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes. .

4. Endometriosis

Ovarian endometrioma is a cyst-like tumor in the ovary that forms from endometrial tissue. Usually occurs in women with endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial tissue is displaced in different parts of the body, most commonly in the muscles of the uterus, ovaries, and pelvis.
Endometrial tissue normally grows and sheds with the monthly menstrual cycle. When endometriosis tissue in the ovary will also be affected by the hormones of the menstrual cycle, so it can proliferate and shed, but there is no place to expel it from the body, but it will accumulate to form a tumor. endometriosis in the ovary.
Between 20 and 40 percent of women with endometriosis develop endometriosis in the ovaries, according to the Endometriosis Foundation of America. Symptoms of endometriosis and endometriosis in the ovaries include:
Abdominal pain; Cyclic pain; Pain during sex ; Pain when you urinate or have a bowel movement; Abnormal uterine bleeding. If left untreated, endometriosis can damage the ovaries causing infertility. These abnormal proliferations are also risk factors for an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Your doctor may perform surgery to remove endometriosis. Another option is to remove the entire ovary. However, this surgery is not usually performed in women of childbearing age because it affects fertility.

5. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition in which a woman has higher than normal levels of male hormones, called androgens. These excess hormones can cause a lot of follicles to form in the ovaries and cause the ovaries to become abnormally large.
PCOS symptoms usually begin around the time of puberty and may include:
Less frequent periods than usual (menstrual cycle > 35 days); Hypermenorrhoea (more menstrual bleeding); Weight gain; Pelvic pain; Tired; Hairy, bald head. Acne; Ease of mood swings; Difficulty getting pregnant. There are many treatments that address the symptoms of PCOS, but there is no cure for the condition completely. Some medications can be used to treat PCOS:
Birth control pills that contain the hormones estrogen and progestin, or just progestin, to regulate your menstrual cycle Medicines like clomiphene (Clomid), letrozole (Femara) or gonadotropin to help you ovulate and get pregnant Spironolactone (Aldactone), eflornithine (Vaniqa), or birth control pills to reduce hair growth. If you're overweight, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can help normalize your menstrual cycle and increase your chances of ovulating. Consult with your doctor about your ideal weight and what you can do to reach your diet and exercise goals.

6. Benign ovarian tumor

Tumors can grow inside the ovary, most are benign, and never spread beyond the ovary. Fibroids are a type of ovarian tumor formed from connective tissue. These tumors are usually slow growing.
Most benign tumors cause no symptoms. If you have symptoms, they may include:
Pelvic pain; Feeling of pressure or heaviness in the abdomen; Pain during sex; Fever; Nausea vomiting. Small tumors may go away without treatment. Your doctor may do an ultrasound or other imaging tests such as a CT-scan or an MRI to see if your tumor has degraded. Larger tumors may need to be removed surgically.

7. Signs of ovarian cancer

The first sign of ovarian cancer is usually an enlarged ovaries. However, this type of cancer is very rare. According to the American Cancer Society, about 22,000 women in the United States receive a diagnosis of ovarian cancer each year. Ovarian cancer usually doesn't cause any symptoms until the cancer has spread.
Symptoms of late stage ovarian cancer include:
Abdominal bloating; Lower abdominal or pelvic pain; Unusual discharge or bleeding from the vagina; Sudden weight change, loss or gain; Urgency or frequent urination; Tired; Pain during sex; Changes in the menstrual cycle; Nausea; Leg swelling. Treatment depends on the type and stage of ovarian cancer. Possible methods, include:
Surgery: During surgery, the doctor removes as much of the tumor as possible. Some ovarian tumors are treated with bilateral oophorectomy. This removes both the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Depending on how far the cancer has spread, an accompanying hysterectomy may also be possible. Chemotherapy: Using drugs to kill cancer cells, you may have chemotherapy treatment after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. Hormone therapy: Ovarian cancer often responds to sex hormones, so using hormone therapy can reduce ovarian cancer proliferation and growth. Targeted therapy: This treatment targets blood vessels and substances that help ovarian cancer grow. The main treatments for ovarian cancer are surgery to remove the tumor and chemotherapy. Your doctor may recommend a combination of two or more treatments for best results.

8. When should you see a doctor?

Large ovaries are often a cause for concern. But if your symptoms don't subside after a few days, see your doctor for a diagnosis. Enlarged ovaries can be a sign of an underlying condition that needs to be treated. You should see a doctor if you have the following symptoms:
Abdominal pain and bloating; Pain during sex; Hypermenorrhea; Menstrual delay; Abnormal vaginal discharge. As soon as strange symptoms appear, you should see a doctor for examination and advice, and early intervention measures if there is a disease. In order to help customers detect and treat gynecological diseases early, Vinmec International Hospital has a basic gynecological examination and screening package, helping customers detect early infectious diseases and help treat easy, inexpensive. Screening detects gynecological cancer (cervical cancer) early even when there are no symptoms.
Basic gynecological examination and screening package for female customers, has no age limit and may have the following symptoms:
Abnormal vaginal bleeding Having menstrual problems: irregular menstrual cycle, irregular menstrual cycle Irregular vaginal discharge (smell, different color) Vaginal pain and itching Female clients have several risk factors such as poor personal hygiene, Unsafe sex, abortion,... Female customers have other symptoms such as: Abnormal vaginal discharge, itching, pain in the private area, abnormal vaginal bleeding.

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Reference source: healthline.com