QuestionHi,I live in Melbourne, Australia. I'm 37 years old and married for 10 years. No children and been trying to get pregnant. We're new in the country so we haven't really found a doctor which we feel comfortable with. I just got my ultrasound and need some explanation about the report. The report is: The uterus is anteverted with a volume of 104 cc with normal myometrial textrue. Endometrial thickness is 7.9mm. Ovarian volumes are 97 cc on the right and 20 cc on the left. The right ovary contains a 6 cm simple cyst. No free fluid is seen.
The radiologist suggests a repeat scan in 6 weeks time to see whether this resolves the large presumably functional cyst on the right side ovary. Can you please explain the report to me and if there's a chance on getting pregnant?
Thank you very much.
AnswerHello Cecile from Australia,
The ultrasound alone is unable to make any determination as to whether or not you can get pregnant. Certainly, except for the cyst, there are no other abnormalities detected that would affect your fertility. A woman's body goes through 10 steps to get pregnant and any one of those steps could jeopardize pregnancy in any given cycle. So in order to determine if pregnancy is possible, each of those steps would need to be checked.
A 6 cm cyst is a large cyst and needs to be addressed. If you are not seeing a gynecologist, you need to see one. The Radiologist is the not the correct person to see for this problem. They don't practice clinical medicine. They only help with obtaining a diagnosis. It is correct that this could be a functional cyst (a physiologic cyst from ovulation for example# but there are other possibilities as well. Depending on where you are in your cycle, my approach would be to repeat the ultrasound within the first 5 days of the onset of the next period. If it is still there, then I would place you on a moderate dose birth control pill #30 mcg of estrogen# to try to suppress it and repeat the ultrasound again with the next menses. If it is still there after that, then surgery (laparoscopy) would be indicated. If you are currently at the beginning of your cycle or early in your cycle, I would start the birth control pill now.
If you have been married for 10 years and never used anything for contraception or tried to prevent pregnancy, then you need to see a fertility specialist, NOT a GP or general Ob/Gyn doctor. Your age is a significant factor now and time should not be wasted.
Good Luck,
Dr. Edward J. Ramirez, M.D., FACOG
Executive Medical Director
The Fertility and Gynecology Center
Monterey Bay IVF Program
www.montereybayivf.com
Monterey, California, U.S.A.
for additional information check out my blog at http://womenshealthandfertility.blogspot.com check me out on twitter with me at @montereybayivf and facebook @montereybayivf. Skype and internet comprehensive consultations now available via my website for those who want a more extensive evaluation that this site can accommodate
