Benign ovarian tumors during pregnancy. A review of 26 cases

OBJECTIVE: To identify the particularities of ovarian tumors during pregnancy. METHODS: A retrospective study of 26 patients who underwent surgical treatment for ovarian tumors during pregnancy between January 1993 and December 2005. Clinical, ultrasonographic, therapeutic and histological data were analysed. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 26.5 years. The circumstances under which the ovarian tumors were discovered consisted of adnexal torsion in 57% of cases, chronic pelvic pain in 15% of cases and at routine ultrasonographic scan in 26% of cases. 20 patients underwent cystectomy by laparotomy and 4 patients underwent laparoscopic cystectomy. 3 patients underwent adnexectomy. One abortion occurs 2 days after an adnexectomy. 17 deliveries occur at term. Histological findings were functional cyst in 4 cases, serous cyst in 11 cases, mucinous cyst in 2 cases and dermoid cyst in 7 cases. CONCLUSION: Ovarian tumors during pregnancy are rare. They are usually serous, functional and dermoid cysts. Laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy offers significant advantages with respect to laparotomy for the pregnant patient.