Conservative management of ovarian cystic teratoma during pregnancy and labor

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 p regnancy, during pregnancy, and after delivery were performed to detect cha nges 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 wa s electively terminated, and in the remaining 63 pregnancies, a total of 64 healthy infants were delivered. Five patients needed treatment with assist ed 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 t orsion, 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 pr egnancy or to cause complications in pregnancy and labor.