Background: The diagnosis of an adnexal mass associated with pregnancy is increasingly common with the routine use of ultrasound during prenatal care.
Aim: To assess the feasibility, advantages and limiting factors of laparoscopy in the management of ovarian masses during pregnancy.
Methods: Rretrospective study of a series of 34 pregnant women operated by laparoscopy for adnexal masses during a period of 14 years.
Results: The mean age of patients was 29 years. Fifty percent of patients were nulliparous. In 62% of cases, patients were asymptomatic. Laparoscopy was performed at a mean gestational age of 15 weeks. Open laparoscopy was performed in 58.8% of cases. Intraperitoneal cystectomy was performed in 28 cases (72%). In two cases (5 %), it was a borderline ovarian tumor requiring further surgery outside of pregnancy. Fetal loss was noted at a term of 16 weeks.
Conclusion: Laparoscopic management of adnexal masses during pregnancy appears to be safe and reproducible procedure with few maternal and fetal complications.