Can you have intercourse with a teratoma?

Written by Shen Li Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on March 13, 2025
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When a woman has a teratoma, whether intercourse is advisable depends on the size of the tumor or the woman’s clinical symptoms. For example, if the teratoma is small and usually shows no clinical symptoms, normal intercourse is possible. As the size of the teratoma increases, some women may experience symptoms such as a sensation of heaviness or pain in the lower abdomen accompanied by discomfort in the back. During intercourse, the impact and change in tension could exacerbate these abdominal symptoms. Additionally, frequent changes in position during intercourse might provoke the teratoma, potentially leading to torsion and acute abdominal conditions, such as sudden lower abdominal pain. For these women, intercourse is still possible, but it is important to be gentle and slow when changing positions to avoid inducing these issues.

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Written by Li Shun Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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How should a teratoma be treated?

In gynecology, a teratoma refers to an ovarian teratoma. The surgical procedure for an ovarian teratoma is tumor excision. Therefore, immediate surgery is required once an ovarian teratoma is diagnosed. During an ultrasound, only the ovarian tumor can be seen, but its nature cannot be determined. Typically, a rapid pathological examination is needed during surgery. If the pathology results still indicate a mature teratoma, it is a benign tumor, and surgical removal is sufficient. Therefore, once discovered, surgical treatment is necessary because if the teratoma grows larger, it can damage the ovaries, potentially causing infertility or reduced ovarian function.

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Written by Yan Chun
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Formation of teratoma

Teratoma is a type of tumor disease originating from germ cells, clinically classified into benign and malignant categories. The specific cause of teratoma formation is currently unclear; it is considered to be due to abnormal mutations occurring during the development of germ cell tumors, thereby forming tumors. The formation of teratomas also involves some inducing factors, such as familial genetic history. Due to specific genetic mutations in the family, the incidence of familial teratomas increases. Additionally, some external infections are also related to the occurrence of teratomas, ultimately leading to their formation.

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Written by Liu Jian Wei
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Will a teratoma disappear with Chinese herbal medicine?

Teratoma is a common type of ovarian cyst. Clinically, teratomas will not disappear by taking traditional Chinese medicine. Generally, it is recommended that if a patient suspects a teratoma, they should immediately seek medical attention at a local hospital, undergo gynecological examinations, gynecological ultrasound, and other relevant tests, and hospitalization for surgical treatment if necessary. The primary purpose of the surgery is to completely remove the ovarian teratoma. Secondly, the removed ovarian teratoma should be subjected to further pathological examination to confirm whether it is an ovarian teratoma.

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Written by Yan Qiao
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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How long after laparoscopic surgery for a teratoma can one have sexual intercourse?

Teratomas are predominantly benign tumors, mainly located in the ovaries, although in some patients with unique physical constitutions, ovarian tissues may also ectopically end up in the pelvic area, forming a pelvic teratoma. Whether it is an ovarian teratoma or a pelvic teratoma, the scope of the surgery is typically medium-sized. If the surgery is an open operation, it is classified as a second-level surgery, and if it is performed using laparoscopy, it should be classified as a third-level surgery. Both second and third-level surgeries fall under the medium-sized category, and patients usually recover quite quickly after the operation. Typically, we advise patients to refrain from sexual intercourse, pelvic baths, and to avoid heavy physical labor within a month post-operation.

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Written by Liu Jian Wei
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Can teratoma be treated with minimally invasive surgery?

Teratoma is a type of ovarian cyst. Whether a teratoma can be treated through minimally invasive surgery needs to be assessed based on the size of the teratoma. If the teratoma is of normal size, then it can be treated with laparoscopic teratoma surgery. However, if the teratoma is excessively large, such a large teratoma will occupy most of the volume of the pelvic abdomen. In this case, it is not possible to perform minimally invasive surgery. Therefore, further evaluation is needed before performing teratoma surgery to determine if it is suitable for minimally invasive surgery.