Rupture of a malignant ovarian tumor in pregnancy presenting as acute abdomen

Ovarian neoplasms in pregnancy are usually asymptomatic rarely leading onto complications. A 30-year-old G₂ P_1+0+0+1 was referred at 30 weeks of pregnancy with an ultrasound diagnosis of a large multicystic ovarian cyst with no solid areas, ascites or evidence of metastasis. Antenatal corticosteroid was administered and she was advised to follow-up with reports of tumor markers. She presented a week later with acute pain abdomen and breathlessness. Clinical examination revealed a relaxed uterus and ultrasound was suggestive of rupture of the ovarian cyst. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a ruptured left mucinous ovarian cyst with no evidence of solid areas or metastasis. Left ovariotomy with infracolic omentectomy and concurrent cesarean section was done. A healthy male baby of weight 1.880 kg was delivered. Histopathology revealed stage-1c mucinous cyst adenocarcinoma of left ovary. This was followed-up, with a complete surgery done after a month. She is now receiving postoperative chemotherapy.

This is the first reported case of a ruptured malignant ovarian tumor in pregnancy. Torsion or rupture of ovarian masses is an important differential diagnosis of abdominal or pelvic pain during pregnancy.