Bartholin Cyst 33 weeks pregnant

[Moominmiss]

So as the title suggests, I’m 33 weeks pregnant and have what I know to be a bartholin cyst.

Have had a few over the past 5 years. 2 of which I had surgery for under GA to have it drained, and during the second surgery they did a marsupialization.

I had a couple more cysts come up after this and was actually in hospital waiting to go down for surgery again for one of them when it burst on its own on the hospital bed! The other one was drained under local anaesthetic and was the most painful thing I’ve ever been through. I think I screamed the whole hospital down!

I can now feel the beginnings of another one. It’s not huge yet, but big enough that I can feel that discomfort when I walk or sit down. I know it’s only going to get bigger, and more painful.

Has anyone else ever had one while pregnant? I’ve never had one clear up with antibiotics or any of the usual home remedies. But I also know I can’t have a GA to have the surgery.

I’m due to have the baby by c section in 5 or 6 weeks (I get my date on Monday). I’m aware they could drain it during the c section surgery, but I’m pretty sure, going on past experience I will be in agony well before then so I have no idea what to do.

Anyone got any advice? Obviously I plan on calling the doctor and starting on antibiotics, and will keep doing the usual things I can at home. I’m just worried as this is my first experience of having one while pregnant.

No real advice but I can feel for you... Had it twice - excruciating pain..., one was drained under GA and the other time it burst on it's own before I saw a doctor. I still have a lump from time to time, but it's rather soft and not painful at all, so no inflammation. Gentle massage helps get rid of it.
If yours starts to hurt/is inflamed though the massage could make it worse so all I can say talk to your midwife/gynecologist about options. I remember there are some ointments that you could use, but not sure if they are safe in pregnancy.

Thank you, it’s so horrible. I hadn’t had one for a while and so when I woke up and could feel that unmistakable feeling I just knew.

I’m going to try a bath later on and try massaging it while it’s not incredibly painful in the hole it might shrink it or get rid of it. I think I’ve read somewhere before about magnesium paste being used so will look into that, as like you said I’ve no idea what’s safe to use while pregnant!

It can be done under spinal (so long as you have no contraindication) so if it needs surgical draining that’s probably how they’d do it. If you can’t have a spinal then GA is still an option, it’s just that the balance of risk benefit of GA in pregnancy normally makes spinal a better option.

You aren’t alone. I had one some at 39 weeks so the drs decided against doing anything for it as so close to labour and at least one drained itself on the day of being seen. They’re awful and I was in pain with it but instant relief when one went. The gp had seemed concerned but I was seen by hospital staff in the end on birth ward and they seemed to know how to proceed. Good luck