Your provider will only recommend surgery if they feel the benefits outweigh the risks for you.

Ovarian surgery is typically recommended if you have:

• A cyst that's large, painful, or won't go away on its own, even if it's benign

• An ovary that has twisted and cut off its own blood supply (torsion)

• A growth that needs to be removed and checked for cancer

• A high genetic risk of ovarian cancer, as removing the ovaries lowers that risk

Your provider will explain why they're recommending the surgery, how it will happen, and what the desired outcome should be before the day of your operation.

In a cystectomy, the surgeon removes only the cyst itself, leaving the healthy ovary in place. In an oophorectomy, the surgeon removes both the ovary and any cysts growing on it.

Cystectomy is preferred because the ovaries play an important role in mood, fertility, and overall function. If you are diagnosed with a malignant growth, are already in menopause, or the growth takes up the entire ovary, they may recommend oophorectomy instead.

In a salpingectomy, surgeons remove the fallopian tube running from the uterus to the ovary. This is the same passageway that typically carries the fertilized egg to the uterus for implantation.

Your provider might recommend it to treat a pregnancy growing in the tube, which is called an ectopic pregnancy. Or, they may suggest it is a treatment option for a damaged or infected tube to prevent the infection from affecting the rest of your reproductive organs.

Removing one tube doesn't end your fertility, since the other side can still carry an egg.

Ovarian torsion is an excruciatingly painful condition where the ovary twists over or around the tissue that holds it in place. This pinches off blood flow to the ovary, which can cause permanent damage or even tissue death, so this is always considered a medical emergency.

The main warning sign is sudden, severe pain low in your belly, usually on one side, often with nausea or vomiting. The sooner a surgeon untwists the ovary, the better the chance of saving it.

In most cases, the surgeon gently untwists the ovary through a few small incisions, and the blood flow returns automatically. Even an ovary that looks badly affected can often recover once blood flow is restored, so most surgeons will at least try this first before moving to oophorectomy.

If the ovary keeps twisting, or there's no clear reason it happened, the surgeon may stitch it into a more stable position. This is called oophoropexy. This is only an option if the tissue is still viable and can be saved.

In most cases, yes. If the surgeon removes only a cyst or only one ovary, your remaining ovarian tissue keeps making hormones, so your cycle and hormone levels usually carry on as normal. Some patients experience a noticeable improvement in their mental or physical health afterward.

The situation changes slightly if the doctor removes both ovaries before menopause. Removing the ovaries instantly initiates menopause regardless of how old you are, and the lack of hormones can negatively affect the body in many different ways.

Your provider may recommend hormone replacement therapy, or just monitor you for changes.

It depends on whether you have any ovarian tissue left afterward. Many ovarian procedures are designed to protect your fertility, especially cystectomy and untwisting a torsed ovary, both of which leave ovarian tissue in place.

Even with one ovary removed, the other usually takes over and you can still conceive. Removing both ovaries does naturally end fertility, so if having children is important to you, make sure you let your provider know. They can walk you through your options.

Most are. In laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon works through a few small incisions, including a camera on a thin cable, and in some cases, robotic tools. This is preferred because it reduces the recovery time and usually causes less pain for the patient immediately after surgery.

Sometimes a surgeon needs to make a larger incision to remove a very large cyst or if they are concerned about a malignancy. They may also begin the surgery as a regular laparoscopy, but have to convert to a hand-assisted surgery while you are asleep.

It depends on the type of surgery. After laparoscopic surgery, many people feel noticeably better within a week or two and return to light activity fairly quickly.

Open surgery takes longer to recover from because it affects more of your body. You may notice that you get tired easily for the first few weeks. Your care team will guide you on lifting, activity, and when it's safe to drive or exercise.

Like any operation, ovarian surgery carries some risk.

The most common are:

• Bleeding or infection

• Injury to nearby organs, like the bladder or bowel

• Malignant hyperthermia and other anaesthesia-related reactions

• Recurrence (a cyst that grows back)

Complications like these are fairly uncommon. It is much more likely that you'll heal quickly and be able to get back your life within a couple of weeks.

The vast majority of ovarian cysts turn out to be benign, but surgeons send anything they remove to a lab to be sure. If the lab finds cancer, you will likely be referred out to a gynecological oncologist who can provide more specialized care.

Your team would also help you build a treatment plan based on the type and stage of the cancer. Catching it early gives you the widest range of options, which is one reason providers don't ignore a suspicious cyst.

Most people heal quickly after their surgery, and are able to return to light activities within a few days. Call your provider or seek care immediately if you experience:

• A fever, or redness, warmth, or discharge at an incision

• Heavy vaginal bleeding, soaking more than one pad an hour

• Severe pain that your medication isn't controlling

• Pain, swelling, or warmth in your leg

Reaching out early lets your care team catch any problem quickly. When something doesn't feel right, trust that instinct and make the call.