Korean J Obstet Gynecol.
2003 Mar;46(3):637-641.
A Clinical Evaluation of Ovarian Tumors in Pregnancy
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical characteristics of ovarian tumors accompanied with pregnancy.
METHODS
A review was performed of 310 cases of ovarian tumors surgically resected during pregnancy from January 1990 to December 2001.
RESULTS
The incidence of ovarian tumor in pregnancy was one in 181.5 deliveries and that of malignant neoplastic tumor was one in 6,251 deliveries. Among 310 cases undergoing ovarian surgery, tumor-like lesions were 110 cases (35.5%), benign tumors were 191 cases (61.6%), and malignant tumors were 9 cases (0.3%), respectively. One hundred and twenty cases of dermoid cyst (38.7%) occured most frequently, followed by 47 cases of corpus luteal cyst (15.2%), and 40 cases of simple cyst (12.9%). One hundred and ninety nine cases (64.2%) of ovarian tumors were greater than 6 cm in diameter and 189 cases (61%) were preoperatively diagnosed in 1st trimester, and 62 cases (20%) were detected incidentally during cesarean section. In complicated cases, the torsion of ovarian tumor was found in 48 cases (71.6%), the cases of rupture were 16 (23.9%), and misdiagnosed cases as appendicitis were 3 (4.5%). According to outcome of pregnancy, abortions were 19 cases (6.1%), vaginal deliveries were 43 cases (13.9%), and cesarean sections were 169 cases (53.5%).
CONCLUSION
Although the incidence of malignant ovarian tumor is low, the overall incidence of ovarian tumor in pregnance is increasing. Because ovarian tumors complicating pregnancy are often entirely unsuspected, careful examination of all pregnant women in early pregnancy must be considered.
