A pregnant woman rushed to the hospital alarmed by her rapidly growing belly, far beyond normal pregnancy swelling, fearing twins or complications. The doctor turned pale upon seeing the ultrasound: a massive ovarian cyst, measuring over 30 cm, had ballooned alongside her viable fetus, compressing organs and risking rupture.
Initially mistaken for excess amniotic fluid or fibroids, the scan revealed a benign mucinous cystadenoma—the largest recorded in early pregnancy at that hospital. Its size caused severe pain, breathing difficulty, and bowel obstruction, mimicking advanced gestation. Torsion risk was imminent, as cysts over 10 cm during pregnancy carry a 10-15% complication rate, potentially fatal for mother and baby via hemorrhage or preterm labor.
The doctor paled at the rarity: fewer than 1% of pregnancies involve such giants, often undetected until crisis.
At 14 weeks, surgeons performed a laparotomy, delicately draining and excising the 15-pound cyst while preserving the ovary and uterus. The pregnancy continued safely, delivering a healthy baby at term. Pathology confirmed benign growth, but its deceptive expansion had endangered everything.
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