Almost all women have had functional cysts at one time or another. Functional cysts are, in most cases, not dangerous and will have no effects on a woman’s reproductive system because they are not caused by abnormal cell growth but by a slight shift in the functioning of the ovaries. There are two types of functional cysts: follicular and luteal cysts, both named after the phase of the menstrual cycle during which they appear.
Follicular Cysts – They happen during the first phase of the menstrual cycle, when the egg is supposed to be released from the follicle in the ovary but is not. Instead, the follicle continues to grow until it becomes a fluid-filled sac that has no symptoms.
Luteal Cysts – During the second phase of the menstrual cycle, the follicle containing the mature egg cell is ruptured and releases the egg. It later develops into a corpus luteum, a gland that secretes progesterone in preparation for fertilization. When there is no sperm present to fertilize the egg, the corpus luteum withers and the egg is expelled out of the body during a woman’s period. But there are times when the corpus luteum does not wither and fills up with blood, becoming luteal cysts that can cause pain or spotting.
