by Abeline Shu

Created on: February 11, 2009   Last Updated: February 16, 2009

Though often cited as a leading cause of infertility, most ovarian cysts are a harmless result of the ovulation cycle, usually disappearing on their own, without any symptoms or complications. Nearly all women will have had an ovarian cyst at some point during their child-bearing years, often without even knowing it.

Certain more serious types of ovarian cysts can occur however, and may adversely affect a woman's chances of conceiving. Problematic cysts are often the result of other hormonal imbalances and conditions that cause a normally harmless cyst to remain and grow excessively large, or cause other types of cysts to develop and grow. Scarring of the ovaries and anovulation (lack of ovulation) can result in these conditions leading to infertility.

A leading cause of infertility is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a complicated endocrine disorder in which follicles develop but do not rupture and release an egg, leading to multiple cysts in the ovaries and anovulation. PCOS affects approximately 5% of all women and though the actual cause of the condition is unknown, research suggests a strong correlation to weight gain, diabetes and insulin resistance.

Another condition that can cause blood-filled cysts (endometriomas) to develop in the ovaries is Endometriosis, a disease affecting at least 10% of women where the type of cells normally found in the uterus lining attach themselves or develop on other surfaces in the pelvis (the ovaries, pelvic wall, bladder, or intestines). The cells then expand and bleed, often causing irritation, pain, and the formation of scar tissue, causing infertility problems.

These types of cysts that are often associated rightly with infertility problems. It is important to remember, however, that these types of cysts are usually also symptomatic of other hormonal imbalances and disorders to begin with. They will usually include other symptoms such as pain and irregular or abnormal periods.

Most ovarian cysts are of the functional, asymptomatic type that do not affect fertility and will usually disappear after two or three menstrual cycles. They commonly result during the normal ovulation cycle, when an egg-bearing follicle in the ovary swells with fluid before rupturing and releasing an egg at the point of ovulation. Medically speaking, a cyst is simply a fluid-filled sac and can occur if the follicle does not rupture properly (a follicular cyst), or does not dissolve all the way (a corpus luteum).

These kinds of cysts derive from

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