Antenatal diagnosis of ovarian cysts: natural history and therapeutic implications.

A retrospective study from 1980 to 1990 shows 29 ovarian cysts in 27 patients diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound performed between 28 and 38 weeks of gestation. Ten patients underwent surgery, 17 patients were observed with serial ultrasound. Delayed good quality sonograms after spontaneous resolution of the cyst in a selected group of 7 patients showed restoration of a normal ovarian anatomy. The size of the cyst and/or its sonographic characteristics are the 2 main factors for deciding a conservative or a surgical management.