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Causes of ovarian cysts
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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To understand the causes of ovarian cysts, you first need to learn more about this disease. Ovarian cysts are quite common. Moreover, they can be found both in women who have reached puberty and in young girls during puberty. Ovarian cysts are also found in women who have reached the age of menopause.
The causes of ovarian cysts are not always reliably determined. Scientists believe that hormonal changes in a woman's body can contribute to the formation of cysts. Trauma to the abdominal area can also cause cysts to form. There are several types of ovarian cysts. Most of these cysts are benign and do not pose a threat to a woman's life or reproductive health. However, there is still a possibility that a cyst can degenerate into a malignant tumor, that is, cancer.
That is why it is so important to know about this disease, understand its causes and undergo examination and diagnosis in a timely manner in order to avoid subsequent possible complications.
Causes of Dermoid Ovarian Cyst
The causes of a dermoid ovarian cyst are not always easy to determine. A dermoid cyst differs from other similar tumor formations on the ovaries. In particular, its difference lies in the composition of the cyst itself. Some cysts may consist of one fluid inside, but a dermoid cyst consists of different embryonic tissues.
It may contain skin, fat cells, hair, bones and even teeth. There have been cases when such a cyst was removed, opened and bone tissue, an eye or a tooth were found inside. This cyst can reach quite large sizes, and this is another difference from other ovarian cysts.
A dermoid cyst can reach up to 15 centimeters in diameter. Such a size cannot go unnoticed and, as a rule, causes various painful symptoms in the lower abdomen or back.
As already mentioned, the causes of ovarian cysts are not precisely established, but the category of women most prone to the development of such formations is known. As a rule, such cysts form on the ovaries of young and even adolescent women during puberty and active hormonal changes. So, it can be assumed that hormonal "shakes" contribute to the development of such cysts.
What do you need to know about a dermoid ovarian cyst? Usually, such a cyst grows quite slowly. But its growth does not stop. At first, the patient may not notice any signs of the cyst development. If the cyst reaches a large size, it can cause acute pain and can be diagnosed by palpation and other methods.
Causes of left ovarian cyst
The causes of ovarian cysts can be varied. Every woman has two ovaries in her body, as they are paired organs. Cysts can be different in their nature and composition. Some cysts form only on one of the two ovaries, such as functional cysts. Other types of cysts can form on both ovaries at once.
The causes of a cyst of the left ovary, as well as of the right, may be different. Hormonal changes are one of the possible causes. Therefore, an increased risk of developing these benign tumors is observed in women during puberty or menopause.
The causes of ovarian cysts may also be hereditary. Some scientists believe so and suggest that an increased tendency to form cysts may be genetically determined in a woman.
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Causes of right ovarian cyst
As already mentioned, the causes of ovarian cysts, both right and left, are different. One of them is heavy loads on the body. This means increased physical activity and severe fatigue, wear and tear of the body, insufficient rest and replenishment of the body's resources.
Also, the cause may be increased moral stress, namely, stress, anxiety, loss of spirit and constant worries. After all, our soul and body are closely connected and intertwined. Therefore, the causes of the right ovarian cyst may be psychosomatic in nature, and not just purely physiological.
Causes of ovarian follicular cyst
It is important to know the causes of ovarian cysts, especially the causes of follicular ovarian cysts. Such cysts are also called functional. In more than thirty percent of cases of diseases and occurrence of ovarian cysts, this type of cyst is detected.
It is not that difficult to determine the cause of a follicular ovarian cyst. Basically, it occurs when the follicle, that is, the capsule with the maturing egg, does not rupture and ovulation does not occur. Instead, the grown follicle reaches a fairly large size, it is covered with a protective membrane and thus a follicular ovarian cyst is formed.
Such cysts are most often diagnosed in mature women who are capable of giving birth. Therefore, a large number of women are at risk and it is important to know the causes of ovarian cysts in order to conduct a timely examination and identify the cause of concern.
Causes of functional ovarian cyst
The above-described follicular ovarian cyst is one of two types of functional cysts that form on this organ. The second type of functional ovarian cyst is a corpus luteum cyst. As a rule, the first type of functional cyst is much more common than the second.
So, what are the causes of ovarian cysts, including functional ones? A cyst is formed when there is a failure in the natural processes occurring in a woman's body. For example, a corpus luteum cyst is formed if it is not completely eliminated in time. This body should disappear after the egg leaves the follicle and after the onset of menstruation. If this does not happen, the corpus luteum becomes covered with a membrane and a cyst is formed.
Most often, the causes of ovarian cysts are due to hormonal imbalance. But they can also be caused by other factors. For example, an infection of the genitals. As a rule, functional cysts are benign and do not often degenerate into malignant formations.
Causes of ovarian corpus luteum cyst
A corpus luteum cyst is a so-called functional cyst. As a rule, these cysts do not reach a large size. Usually, they grow no more than 5 centimeters. They can develop on both the right and left ovaries.
The causes of ovarian cysts can be different. Speaking about functional cysts, scientists assume that the decrease in childbearing leads to the formation of such cysts. Nowadays, women do not strive to give birth to more than two or three children. Whereas before, on average, they gave birth five or even more times in their lives.
Fewer pregnancies inevitably lead to an increase in the number of menstruations in a woman's life. This is also caused by the absence of a lactation period or a short period of breastfeeding. Therefore, the number of menstrual cycles increases sharply. This leads to a greater load on the ovaries and their rapid wear. So, short lactation and limitation of reproductive function are possible causes of ovarian cysts.
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Causes of endometrioid ovarian cysts
This ovarian cyst can be quite large in size. Its localization is inside the ovary or on its outer shell. What distinguishes this cyst from other ovarian cysts is its contents. It is a brownish thick liquid, reminiscent of chocolate in color and consistency. Therefore, this cyst is also called "chocolate".
The causes of this category of ovarian cysts vary. Some scientists believe that the formation of such a cyst can be caused by both physiological and psychological processes. Stress and heavy loads can provoke the formation of such a cyst.
There is still debate about the cause of ovarian cysts, but most doctors agree on one thing - the occurrence of this disease is directly related to hormonal imbalances in a woman's body.
Causes of ovarian cyst rupture
Any cyst, regardless of the cause of the ovarian cyst or its type, is surrounded by a membrane of cells. This membrane can be thin, as in functional cysts, or denser, as in a dermoid cyst. Rupture of the membrane of an ovarian cyst is called apoplexy. The causes of rupture of an ovarian cyst can be different.
Some of them relate to processes occurring inside the woman's body. For example, the causes of ovarian cyst rupture may be due to an inflammatory process in the ovary. Such a process can make the cyst membrane thinner, which will lead to its rupture. Another reason is hormonal imbalance or a malfunction in the woman's body.
But the causes of ovarian cyst rupture can also be external. Among them are abdominal injuries, active and slightly traumatic sex or physical overload, as well as lifting weights.
Causes of serous ovarian cyst
The occurrence and causes of ovarian cysts, and in particular serous cysts, may include factors such as gynecological diseases or termination of pregnancy, stress, physical activity, poor nutrition or injuries during gynecological examination and treatment.
A serous cyst differs from other types of ovarian cysts in that its walls are not stretchy. They are hard and not elastic. Fluid accumulates inside such a cyst. The causes of an ovarian cyst can be either prolonged sexual abstinence or a promiscuous sexual lifestyle, frequent change of partners or sexually transmitted infections.
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Causes of paraovarian cyst of the ovary
The paraovarian cyst is very different from other types of ovarian cysts by its nature. Its first difference is that the walls of such a cyst do not stretch, but grow with it. The causes of the paraovarian cyst of the ovary are clear. It is formed when there is a pathology in the development of the embryo.
Another difference between this cyst and other cysts is that it cannot resolve on its own, as often happens with functional or other types of cysts. Also, this cyst never degenerates into a malignant formation.
As a rule, it has a clear localization and is formed between the ovary and the tube. Its growth and size are difficult to predict. Knowing the causes of ovarian cysts, you can predict the age of women most susceptible to its occurrence. As a rule, these are sexually mature women of childbearing age.