[Benign ovarian tumors during pregnancy. A review of 26 cases]

To identify the particularities of ovarian tumors during pregnancy.

A retrospective study of 26 patients who underwent surgical treatment for ovarian tumors during pregnancy between January 1993 and December 2005. Clinical, ultrasonographic, therapeutic and histological data were analysed.

The mean age of patients was 26.5 years. The circumstances under which the ovarian tumors were discovered consisted of adnexal torsion in 57% of cases, chronic pelvic pain in 15% of cases and at routine ultrasonographic scan in 26% of cases. 20 patients underwent cystectomy by laparotomy and 4 patients underwent laparoscopic cystectomy. 3 patients underwent adnexectomy. One abortion occurs 2 days after an adnexectomy. 17 deliveries occur at term. Histological findings were functional cyst in 4 cases, serous cyst in 11 cases, mucinous cyst in 2 cases and dermoid cyst in 7 cases.

Ovarian tumors during pregnancy are rare. They are usually serous, functional and dermoid cysts. Laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy offers significant advantages with respect to laparotomy for the pregnant patient.