The Fertility Center of Las Vegas

Is There a Link Between Ovarian Cysts and Infertility?

Find out whether there is a link between ovarian cysts and infertility

Find out whether there is a link between ovarian cysts and infertility

You might know that ovarian cysts are common, but you still might have questions about whether they can interfere with your pregnancy attempts. Our Las Vegas fertility doctors often get questions about the link between ovarian cysts and infertility. We are here to explain what types of ovarian cysts can cause a problem and how we treat them.

What do you need to know about ovarian cysts and infertility?

At some point in life, most women of reproductive age will have an ovarian cyst. So, what is an ovarian cyst? This is a solid or fluid-filled sac that appears on or within an ovary. A woman can have one or multiple cysts, and the cysts can range in size.

When it comes to ovarian cysts and infertility, it’s important to know that cysts don’t typically cause fertility issues. In fact, follicular cysts and corpus luteum cysts (functional cysts) form during the menstrual cycle and show that the reproductive system is working.

However, some types of cysts can interfere with conception. Two examples include (1) endometriomas (cysts due to endometriosis) and (2) ovarian cysts due to polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS.

What do our doctors recommend for these problematic cysts?

Our Las Vegas fertility doctors can diagnose endometriomas and cysts due to PCOS using an ultrasound or MRI. If these tests show that a patient has one or more cysts, our doctors can develop a treatment plan.

In some cases, this plan involves watchful waiting. This is because sometimes cysts can go away on their own within a few weeks or months. However, in other cases, our team may recommend minimally invasive surgery to remove the cyst. This is especially true if it is causing pain, growing or interfering with conception. During this surgery, the doctor can often also remove growths due to endometriosis.

In addition to causing ovarian cysts, endometriosis and PCOS can also contribute to fertility issues for other reasons. For example, in the case of PCOS, the condition causes a hormonal imbalance that can interfere with normal ovulation. Prescribing fertility medications and treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF) can often help make parenthood possible.

If you’d like to learn more about ovarian cysts and infertility, contact us for an appointment. Our team looks forward to helping you get on the path to parenthood.

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