OVARIAN-TUMORS ASSOCIATED WITH PREGNANCY

Objective: The clinical characteristics of ovarian tumors associated w ith pregnancy were investigated. Method: A series of 106 cases of ovar ian tumor surgically resected during pregnancy was investigated with r espect to incidence, clinicopathologic features and outcome. Results: Among 106 cases undergoing ovarian surgery, 31 (29.2%), 70 (66%) and f ive (4.7%) were diagnosed as physiologic, benign and malignant, respec tively. The incidence of benign neoplastic tumor was 1:112 deliveries and that of malignant neoplastic tumor was 1:1684 deliveries. Dermoid cyst was the most common lesion found. Of the 70 benign tumors, 51 (72 .9%) were greater than 8 cm in diameter and 55 (78.6%) were preoperati vely diagnosed before the 10th gestational week; 44 (62.9%) were opera ted before the 15th gestational week. The spontaneous abortion rate in 80 cases followed up after surgery was only 10%, 61 patients (76.3%) progressing to full-term delivery. Five malignant tumors included thre e epithelial carcinomas, one embryonal carcinoma and one dysgerminoma. Conclusion: Ovarian surgery in the first trimester for persistent or enlarging masses is important to obtain a final histologic diagnosis a nd rule out malignancy.