Objective: Our goal was to evaluate the adequacy of conservative management during pregnancy and labor in women with an ultrasonographically diagnosed ovarian cystic teratoma.
Study design: Forty-nine women with ultrasonographically diagnosed ovarian cystic teratoma <6 cm were followed for detection of possible complications through pregnancy and labor. Serial ultrasonographic examinations before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and after delivery were performed to detect changes in the size of the cystic teratoma.
Results: In a group of 49 women with dermoid cysts (mean age, 30 years), 68 pregnancies resulted. Of the 68 pregnancies, 4 ended in miscarriages, 1 was electively terminated, and in the remaining 63 pregnancies, a total of 64 healthy infants were delivered. Five patients needed treatment with assisted reproductive techniques. Fifty-five pregnancies ended in normal vaginal deliveries and 8 were delivered by cesarean (cesarean delivery rate of 16%). None of the classical complications attributed to dermoid cysts such as torsion, dystocia, or rupture occurred in the study group. In a follow-up of 56 dermoid cysts throughout pregnancy, cyst size remained unchanged.
Conclusions: Ovarian dermoid cysts <6 cm are not expected to grow during pregnancy or to cause complications in pregnancy and labor.