For a woman to conceive and give birth, having healthy ovaries is ideal. But what if you had to lose the other one? Is it still possible to conceive? This mom shares her experience on getting pregnant with one ovary.
In her story, you'll read:
- Finding out about the ovarian cyst
- Symptoms of ovarian cyst that she experienced
Having my baby boy was unexpected but it is the greatest blessing I ever had. I only have one ovary left so I had this fear that I would have problems conceiving. Let me share with you my story.
Last 2019, while I was at work, everything seemed normal until I felt severe pain in my left abdomen. I was so painful that I decided to go home early. I went to the doctor to have it checked and she noticed that my tummy was unusually big. She even asked me if I was pregnant because it looked like a baby bump.
But that time I was sure I wasn't because I just had my period. So I told the doctor that I am not pregnant and she referred me to go to an OB-Gynecologist instead.
The OB asked me to undergo an ultrasound and they saw a very huge cyst in my ovary. It was really big that they can’t identify if it was on the right or left. So I went to another OB to get a second opinion and that’s when they confirmed that the cyst is in my left ovary.
The doctor told me that I needed to have surgery immediately because it would be dangerous if the cyst ruptured inside me. She also told me that because the cyst was massive, they needed to be aggressive with the treatment and remove my left ovary.
At that time, I wasn't even scared of the operation, but what bothered me was the possibility that I will have trouble getting pregnant in the future. I know I still have my right ovary, but paano 'pag nagkacyst ako ulit? What if my remaining ovary fails me again? I was very anxious at that time.
The operation was successful. The biopsy also confirmed that the cyst was not malignant. I was very thankful for that, but my worries and thoughts on having difficulty conceiving were still there. Every day, I prayed to God to still bless me with a baby in the future.
Getting pregnant with one ovary
Fast forward to 2020, I received the best news of my life - I’m pregnant!
All my worries turned into genuine happiness. I gave birth to my baby boy last April 2021. I consider him my miracle baby because it hasn't even been a year since my left ovary was removed, but I was blessed with a baby right away. It was an answered prayer indeed.
My little boy will be turning one soon and I am so happy to see him grow up healthy and happy.
READ MORE:
Removing 'ovarian cyst' while pregnant: Why this surgery needs to be done
REAL STORIES: "Akala ko malaki lang ako magbuntis—may cyst na pala na tumubo sa ovary ko."
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Symptoms of having a cyst in the ovaries
I know not many women are aware of ovarian cysts so let me share some of the symptoms I've experienced:
- Pain during menstruation - I've always experienced dysmenorrhea ever since I had my first period so I never had it checked until that point.
- Lower back pain - I have scoliosis so it's normal that my back hurts sometimes. Although the past few weeks before I discovered I have a cyst, the pain was more severe.
- Bloated feeling and feeling full easily when eating - It's always been my struggle to gain weight because I get full easily.
- Big abdomen - I already noticed my stomach was getting bigger but I didn't mind it. I thought they were just fats.
- Severe abdominal pain - It was so painful that I couldn’t move properly.
I hope this helps other women and be reminded to be observant of what’s happening in their bodies. Sometimes, we think what we feel is normal and we're quick to overlook it, but it can be very detrimental to our health if we don't take immediate action. The surgery and treatment were also very expensive, but thankfully, my medical insurance was able to cover all of the expenses.
To others who also had ovarian cysts and have problems conceiving, please don’t lose hope. Getting pregnant with one ovary is possible. Just take care of yourself first, and before you know it, your own little one will surely be given to you at the right time.