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Women's Health Last Updated: Jan 14th, 2010 - 21:12:20


Ovarian Cyst
Answered by: Angie Frausto
Jan 14, 2010, 16:51

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Question

My husband and I have been practicing Natural Family Planning now for about 19 months. We started after the birth of our fourth child. We started more for religious reasons as we are Catholic. I was just "diagnosed" with an ovarian cyst. My doctor wants me to go on birth control pills to reduce it. Is this the only way to get rid of it? I should also mention my periods have been long, up to 16 days, with most days light with 3 or 4 days of a heavier flow. I usually have NO signs of fertile days and I am making 100% observations. I did get pregnant in July but miscarried. Personally, I would not like more children as 4 boys is enough!

Thanks for the reply.

Jill

Answer

Dear Jill,

Cysts have usually been treated surgically or with the oral contraceptive. Studies have shown though, that the oral contraceptive as a form of treatment for ovarian cysts has little to no effect in resolving them. Most cysts probably result from underlying hormone dysfunction. It has been shown that by assessing and understanding the etiology, treatment of the underlying condition improves ovarian function and leads to disappearance of cysts. At times this process is also useful in the recognition of suspicious ovarian cysts that may potentially be malignant.

To be sure you are identifying the Post-Peak days correctly it would be best to make a Follow-up appointment at this time with your NFP Practitioner. The correct identification of those days allows for proper administration of progesterone when your body is producing it.

This progesterone therapy is described in the book The Medical and Surgical Practice of Naprotechnology by Thomas W. Hilgers, MD. http://www.naprotechnology.com/

Your practitioner can refer you to a Naprotechnology Medical Consultant that will, with the aid of your chart, diagnose and treat you with bio-identical progesterone. This should normalize your cycles without the harmful side effects of the birth control pills. Interestingly, one of the causes of three or more days of brown spotting continuing after the menstrual flow or miscarriage may be inadequate progesterone levels.

Angie Frausto


Angie Fraust

Angie Frausto as a certified teacher of the Billings Ovulation Method has been teaching this method of natural family planning for 20 years in Whittier, California. She is the Director and Teacher Trainer of WOOMB Bilingual-Bicultural. Her laboratory research at University of Southern California School of Medicine studies the cellular interactions causing osteoporosis.


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